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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. spell — magic
  3. suit — clothes
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — in cards
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. press — newspapers
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. vault — a safe
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spell — a short time
  16. clip — a video
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spell — letters
  19. clip — for paper
  20. lie — to recline
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. clip — to cut
  23. press — a publisher
  24. stem — of a plant

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