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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stock — goods
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. file — a document
  11. press — to push
  12. season — in sport
  13. fork — in a road
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. stock — shares
  16. file — a line of people
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. file — a tool
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. season — of the year
  23. press — a publisher
  24. plane — a tool

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