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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. press — to push
  3. board — to get on
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitch — completely
  12. plane — a tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. toast — bread
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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