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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. press — to push
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. hand — help
  10. board — a committee
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hand — in cards
  13. press — newspapers
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — to eat
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. kick — in football
  23. press — a publisher
  24. chip — for betting

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