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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. board — a committee
  6. wound — an injury
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. press — to push
  10. squash — the sport
  11. staff — a stick
  12. squash — to crush
  13. staff — employees
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. board — to get on
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wound — an injury
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. staff — employees
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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