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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 116 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. press — to push
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — help
  7. stock — shares
  8. press — newspapers
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. board — to get on
  19. stock — goods
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. wind — moving air
  23. hand — in cards
  24. board — a committee

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