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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. press — a publisher
  4. chest — a box
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. board — to get on
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. press — to push
  12. bat — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chest — of your body
  15. press — newspapers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. row — to paddle
  22. chest — of your body
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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