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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. press — newspapers
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pop — soda
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. press — to push
  8. spring — a coil
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. spring — the season
  12. board — a committee
  13. pop — music
  14. press — a publisher
  15. spring — of water
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pop — to visit
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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