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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. board — to get on
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. shower — rain
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. chair — a leader
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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