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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. band — a ring
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. lean — thin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. present — there
  11. stand — to bear
  12. present — the time now
  13. board — a committee
  14. cell — in biology
  15. present — a gift
  16. band — a music group
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cell — a phone
  23. lean — to rest against
  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