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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mug — a face
  3. board — to get on
  4. object — a thing
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mug — a cup
  7. object — to protest
  8. prune — to trim
  9. march — music
  10. board — a committee
  11. ground — a position
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mug — to rob
  16. march — the month
  17. press — a publisher
  18. ground — crushed
  19. march — the month
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — an aim
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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