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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 120 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. press — newspapers
  4. board — to get on
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. cue — for pool
  7. board — a committee
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. press — to push
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. press — a publisher
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rule — government
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cue — a signal
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cap — a lid

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