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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — a company
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. last — finally
  6. press — newspapers
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. last — to go on
  9. press — to push
  10. board — to get on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. last — final
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. firm — decided
  17. game — wild animals
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. board — a committee
  20. stock — goods
  21. game — a match
  22. firm — steady
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stock — shares

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