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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 116 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. bowl — to roll
  2. press — to push
  3. board — to get on
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. press — newspapers
  7. can — to be able to
  8. kick — in football
  9. can — a tin
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. drill — army training
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. drill — a practice
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. drill — the tool
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. can — a tin
  22. board — a committee
  23. leaves — to go away
  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