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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rest — a break
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stand — to bear
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. board — to get on
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rest — what's left
  13. craft — a skill
  14. press — to push
  15. rest — what's left
  16. board — a committee
  17. can — a tin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rule — a law
  21. chest — of your body
  22. craft — boats
  23. rule — government
  24. can — a tin

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