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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: ground · cell · nail · cue · deal · bear · board · press

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cell — in biology
  8. board — to get on
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. board — a committee
  12. cue — for pool
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ground — the earth
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cue — a signal
  20. press — to push
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ground — a position

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