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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. board — to get on
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. clip — to cut
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. object — a thing
  8. stand — to bear
  9. board — a committee
  10. clip — a video
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. object — to protest
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cap — of ice
  15. present — the time now
  16. object — an aim
  17. clip — for paper
  18. present — there
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lean — thin
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stand — on your feet

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