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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. sharp — clever
  3. board — to get on
  4. press — newspapers
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — a cake
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pitch — completely
  11. board — a committee
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. tear — from crying
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. tear — to rip
  17. roll — a list
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. press — a publisher

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