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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 116 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: press · board · nail · spell · deal · row · last · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. row — to paddle
  4. press — newspapers
  5. last — finally
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. craft — boats
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. spell — letters
  12. last — final
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. press — to push
  17. board — to get on
  18. spell — magic
  19. row — a line
  20. last — to go on
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. press — a publisher
  23. board — a committee
  24. spell — a short time

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