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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: press · rule · pass · mug · arm · rush · sharp · bound

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. press — a publisher
  4. rule — a law
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rule — government
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mug — to rob
  14. press — to push
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mug — a face
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mug — a cup
  24. sharp — clever

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