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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. present — the time now
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. press — to push
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rock — a stone
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. present — there
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rock — music
  22. board — to get on
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. present — a gift

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