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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lean — thin
  6. cap — a lid
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rest — what's left
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — a hat
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — a break
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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