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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. board — a committee
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spring — of water
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. lean — thin
  10. press — to push
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. lean — to bend
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. snap — to click
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. board — to get on
  20. spring — the season
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. spring — a coil
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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