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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: ground · roll · wind · chip · object · press · pass · board

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. press — newspapers
  3. board — a committee
  4. press — to push
  5. ground — crushed
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. chip — for betting
  10. object — to protest
  11. wind — moving air
  12. roll — a cake
  13. object — a thing
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ground — a position
  20. roll — a list
  21. object — an aim
  22. press — a publisher
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. board — to get on

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