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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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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: roll · snap · bank · press · leaves · board · pitch · race

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. roll — a list
  6. bank — for money
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bank — of a river
  9. snap — to click
  10. board — a committee
  11. race — humankind
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bank — for money
  17. race — a contest
  18. pitch — completely
  19. press — newspapers
  20. roll — a cake
  21. race — the arms race
  22. press — to push
  23. board — to get on
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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