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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stand — to bear
  3. net — after costs
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rest — a break
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. board — to get on
  8. spell — a short time
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. spell — letters
  11. net — for catching
  12. rest — what's left
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. net — in sport
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rest — what's left
  20. press — to push
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. press — newspapers
  23. spell — magic
  24. cabinet — ministers

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