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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. board — a committee
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. press — to push
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wake — a trail
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ball — a dance
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. board — to get on

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