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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bark — to shout
  6. sharp — clever
  7. board — to get on
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. board — a committee
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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