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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · foot · straw · rule · board · ball · stand · press

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. ball — a dance
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ball — a great time
  10. board — a committee
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rule — government
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. foot — a measure
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. press — to push

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