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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. press — a publisher
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. press — to push
  5. stem — to come from
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. snap — to click
  8. press — newspapers
  9. object — a thing
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. squash — the sport
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. object — an aim
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. net — in sport
  19. board — a committee
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. board — to get on
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. object — to protest
  24. squash — to crush

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