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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — a container
  5. press — to push
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. board — to get on
  9. tube — the underground
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. press — newspapers
  16. root — of a word
  17. stock — goods
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. root — of a plant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. root — the cause

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