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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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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: board · clip · fan · cabinet · temple · press · root · snap

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. snap — to click
  3. clip — a video
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. press — a publisher
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. clip — for paper
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. clip — to cut
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. root — of a word
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. press — to push
  22. root — the cause
  23. board — a committee
  24. temple — a place of worship

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