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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: press · hide · mark · cap · board · squash · trunk · bay

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. mark — a grade
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. board — to get on
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. squash — to crush
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cap — of ice
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. press — newspapers
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. press — to push
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mark — a trace
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. squash — the sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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