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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · wind · arm · press · board · mouse · game · ball

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. game — wild animals
  3. wind — moving air
  4. board — a committee
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. game — a match
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. board — to get on
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. press — newspapers
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mug — a cup
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. wind — moving air

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