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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. board — a committee
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. press — a publisher
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rush — hurry
  12. file — a line of people
  13. press — to push
  14. stock — shares
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. board — to get on
  17. snap — to click
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a tool
  22. stock — goods
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. press — newspapers

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