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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · root · press · tear · ground · bound · current · band

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. band — a music group
  3. bound — obliged
  4. ground — the earth
  5. tear — from crying
  6. ground — a position
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bore — to tire
  9. current — electric
  10. ground — crushed
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. root — the cause
  15. bore — to drill
  16. press — a publisher
  17. root — of a plant
  18. band — a ring
  19. bound — certain
  20. tear — from crying
  21. root — of a word
  22. press — to push
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com