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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.

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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. net — for catching
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. net — after costs
  10. kid — child
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. board — to get on
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. press — to push
  18. kid — to tease
  19. press — newspapers
  20. net — in sport
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bowl — to roll

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