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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. stock — shares
  5. press — newspapers
  6. snap — to click
  7. band — a ring
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stock — goods
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — the arms race
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. band — a music group
  18. board — to get on
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. race — a contest
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. plane — an aircraft

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