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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: jam · bore · mine · press · land · present · chair · bound

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. present — the time now
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. land — to come down
  8. present — there
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. land — a country
  11. chair — a leader
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — certain
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mine — for digging
  19. press — to push
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. present — a gift
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. land — ground

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