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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 116 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: stock · fan · perch · press · pop · board · snap · bay

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. board — to get on
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. perch — the fish
  6. press — to push
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. snap — to click
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stock — shares
  15. press — a publisher
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stock — goods
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pop — music
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fan — a supporter

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