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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. lean — thin
  3. last — to go on
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. last — finally
  8. lean — to bend
  9. board — a committee
  10. last — final
  11. rock — music
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. hand — help
  14. press — a publisher
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. stock — shares
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stock — goods
  20. press — to push
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. board — to get on

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