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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
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 · suit · chest · ball · present · press · band · calf

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. press — newspapers
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. present — the time now
  5. suit — to fit
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. chest — of your body
  10. press — a publisher
  11. board — a committee
  12. present — there
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. press — to push
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. band — a ring
  17. present — a gift
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. suit — in cards
  23. board — to get on
  24. suit — clothes

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