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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. fork — in a road
  3. object — an aim
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. board — to get on
  11. game — a match
  12. cap — a hat
  13. board — a committee
  14. bank — for money
  15. game — wild animals
  16. object — a thing
  17. bank — for money
  18. object — to protest
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cap — a lid
  23. press — to push
  24. pit — a hole

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