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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. firm — decided
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. board — to get on
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. press — newspapers
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. firm — a company
  11. shower — rain
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bound — certain
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. press — to push
  16. firm — steady
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pass — a permit
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. board — a flat piece

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