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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hand — in cards
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. tear — to rip
  8. march — music
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. march — the month
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. hand — help
  14. march — the month
  15. tear — from crying
  16. board — a committee
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. press — to push
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fine — all right
  22. board — to get on
  23. fine — high quality
  24. press — a publisher

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