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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 124 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bass — the fish
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. board — to get on
  8. fine — high quality
  9. press — newspapers
  10. court — of law
  11. fine — all right
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. dip — to sink
  14. court — for sport
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bass — low music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. board — a committee
  22. court — of a king
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fine — a penalty

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