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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 120 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: board · current · bark · chip · press · net · mouse · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. press — newspapers
  4. current — of water
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. board — to get on
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. current — happening now
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. current — electric
  15. net — in sport
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. board — a committee
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bark — to shout

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