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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: board · mouse · field · leaves · cabinet · dip · press · toast

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. field — farmland
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. dip — to sink
  5. board — a committee
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. press — to push
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — a subject
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. board — to get on
  23. press — a publisher
  24. leaves — to go away

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