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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 120 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. board — a committee
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. stock — goods
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. saw — the tool
  10. press — newspapers
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pound — a weight
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. press — to push
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stock — shares
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bowl — to roll

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