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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: cabinet · board · chest · press · leaves · pit · object · nail

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. press — to push
  3. pit — in a race
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chest — of your body
  7. object — an aim
  8. press — a publisher
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. object — to protest
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — to get on
  16. object — a thing
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pit — a hole
  21. chest — a box
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. board — a committee

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