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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. board — to get on
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. board — a committee
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bowl — a dish

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