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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pop — soda
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. press — a publisher
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pop — to visit
  10. current — happening now
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pop — music
  13. bat — the animal
  14. drill — a practice
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. press — to push
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. current — electric
  21. board — a committee
  22. drill — the tool
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. current — of water

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