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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 116 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitch — completely
  7. press — newspapers
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. land — a country
  12. press — to push
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter

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