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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: mug · march · lie · clip · press · fan · bound · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. press — a publisher
  4. clip — to cut
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. march — the month
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. press — to push
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mug — a cup
  20. clip — a video
  21. bound — tied together
  22. clip — for paper
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mug — a face

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