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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. land — ground
  5. press — newspapers
  6. lean — thin
  7. board — a committee
  8. land — a country
  9. press — a publisher
  10. land — to come down
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stand — to bear
  16. press — to push
  17. net — for catching
  18. board — to get on
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. race — the arms race
  22. lean — to bend
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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