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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. cue — a signal
  3. board — a committee
  4. game — a match
  5. cap — of ice
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. press — a publisher
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. row — a line
  11. press — to push
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cue — a hint
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cue — for pool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stock — shares

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