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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. game — a match
  3. press — to push
  4. rash — a series
  5. board — a committee
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. game — wild animals
  8. field — for sport
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. staff — employees
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. staff — a stick
  18. field — a subject
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. board — to get on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. staff — employees
  24. field — farmland

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