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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. clip — a video
  4. press — to push
  5. rest — a break
  6. pound — a weight
  7. can — a tin
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — music
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rest — what's left
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rock — music
  15. board — a committee
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. can — a tin
  18. rock — a stone
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — newspapers
  21. clip — to cut
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rest — what's left
  24. clip — for paper

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