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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — all right
  3. pit — in a race
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. board — a committee
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. ball — a great time
  16. tube — the underground
  17. board — to get on
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. ball — a dance
  22. craft — boats
  23. tube — a container
  24. ball — a round shape

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