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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. snap — to click
  6. press — a publisher
  7. key — in music
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. board — to get on
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pitch — completely
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. key — the most important part
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bulb — for light

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