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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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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: wake · press · sharp · rest · game · suit · season · board

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. game — a match
  3. wake — a trail
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. board — to get on
  7. season — in sport
  8. suit — clothes
  9. season — of the year
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. press — to push
  12. rest — a break
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rest — what's left
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rest — what's left
  19. game — wild animals
  20. press — a publisher
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. board — a committee
  23. suit — in cards
  24. press — newspapers

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