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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: board · press · band · patient · mouse · file · plane · object

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. object — an aim
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. press — a publisher
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. board — a committee
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. object — to protest
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — a tool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. band — a music group
  13. file — a document
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. press — to push
  19. file — a tool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. object — a thing
  24. band — a ring

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