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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: bound · last · cap · mug · press · fork · wake · bore

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. press — to push
  5. bore — to tire
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bound — tied together
  9. last — finally
  10. mug — a face
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bound — certain
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cap — a hat
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wake — a trail

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