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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. spell — letters
  3. press — newspapers
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bulb — for light
  6. band — a ring
  7. deal — to handle
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. spell — magic
  10. race — the arms race
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. race — a contest
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. race — humankind
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. bulb — for light

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