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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: cabinet · board · suit · row · press · current · squash · prune

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. row — a line
  3. prune — to trim
  4. squash — to crush
  5. press — newspapers
  6. current — electric
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. squash — the sport
  9. current — happening now
  10. row — to paddle
  11. current — of water
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. press — to push
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. prune — to trim
  21. board — a committee
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. suit — to fit
  24. board — to get on

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