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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. craft — a skill
  5. root — of a word
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. craft — boats
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bat — the animal
  12. board — to get on
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — to push
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. board — a committee
  19. root — the cause
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bat — for baseball

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