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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. board — to get on
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. can — a tin
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. board — a committee
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bound — certain
  13. press — to push
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. press — newspapers
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. land — a country
  19. can — to be able to
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. can — a tin
  22. land — to come down
  23. ball — a dance
  24. land — ground

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