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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. drill — the tool
  4. lean — thin
  5. foot — a measure
  6. drill — army training
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. march — the month
  9. press — a publisher
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. march — the month
  12. board — to get on
  13. stem — to come from
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. press — to push
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. march — music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. drill — a practice
  21. board — a committee
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. press — newspapers
  24. lean — to bend

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