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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. object — to protest
  8. race — humankind
  9. press — a publisher
  10. object — a thing
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fork — in a road
  16. object — an aim
  17. race — a contest
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. race — the arms race
  21. press — to push
  22. board — to get on
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. press — newspapers

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