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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. board — a committee
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. board — to get on
  7. staff — employees
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stock — shares
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stock — goods
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bank — for money
  16. press — to push
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. press — a publisher
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ruler — for measuring

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