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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. press — a publisher
  4. rest — what's left
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. squash — the sport
  12. press — to push
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. board — to get on
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. press — newspapers
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. squash — to crush
  20. plane — a tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — steady
  23. rest — a break
  24. plane — an aircraft

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