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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stem — to come from
  7. last — finally
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. board — to get on
  10. stand — to bear
  11. march — the month
  12. last — to go on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. press — to push
  15. march — the month
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. last — final
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. march — 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