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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. board — to get on
  3. plane — a tool
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. net — after costs
  8. press — to push
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. board — a committee
  17. net — for catching
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. net — in sport
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bank — of a river
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bear — the animal

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