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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. spring — the season
  7. shower — rain
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. spring — of water
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. press — to push
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. shower — to wash
  14. press — a publisher
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. spring — a coil
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. temple — side of the head

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