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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: mate · foot · row · root · march · net · board · press

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mate — a friend
  5. board — a committee
  6. root — of a word
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. march — music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. net — in sport
  16. row — a line
  17. board — to get on
  18. net — after costs
  19. root — the cause
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. net — for catching
  24. row — to paddle

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