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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. toast — bread
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pop — soda
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. saw — the tool
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. press — to push
  12. pop — music
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pop — to visit
  15. board — a committee
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. suit — to fit
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. pound — a weight

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