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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — a committee
  4. press — to push
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kid — to tease
  12. dip — to sink
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. board — to get on
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. kid — child

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