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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. press — to push
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. plane — a tool
  8. spell — a short time
  9. net — after costs
  10. suit — to fit
  11. spell — letters
  12. rock — a stone
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. press — newspapers
  16. spell — magic
  17. net — in sport
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rock — music
  21. net — for catching
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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