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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. board — to get on
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — a coil
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stock — goods
  9. board — a committee
  10. spring — of water
  11. press — newspapers
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. press — a publisher
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. stock — shares
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. squash — the sport
  24. leaves — of a tree

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