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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mate — to breed
  3. press — to push
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. mate — a partner
  8. field — for sport
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mate — a friend
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bear — the animal
  15. field — farmland
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rash — a series
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. press — a publisher
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rock — a stone
  23. field — a subject
  24. rock — music

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