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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
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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: press · court · drill · row · board · mouse · trunk · pit

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. row — to paddle
  3. drill — a practice
  4. press — newspapers
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. board — a committee
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. pit — a hole
  10. board — to get on
  11. court — of law
  12. pit — in a race
  13. row — a line
  14. drill — army training
  15. court — of a king
  16. press — to push
  17. drill — the tool
  18. court — for sport
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. press — a publisher

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