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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 · squash · net · lean · press · wave · pit · land

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lean — thin
  4. land — ground
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. land — to come down
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. squash — the sport
  9. press — a publisher
  10. board — a committee
  11. net — after costs
  12. squash — to crush
  13. land — a country
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lean — to bend
  16. press — to push
  17. net — in sport
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. board — to get on
  21. press — newspapers
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. wave — of the sea

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