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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 120 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cell — in biology
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. drill — army training
  6. press — to push
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cell — a phone
  12. board — a committee
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. clip — a video
  15. drill — a practice
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. board — to get on
  19. clip — to cut
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. clip — for paper
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pass — a permit

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