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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. board — a committee
  3. press — to push
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bank — for money
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. march — the month
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bank — of a river

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