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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 · chip · suit · hide · march · board · rush · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. press — a publisher
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. press — to push
  8. rock — music
  9. chip — for betting
  10. march — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. march — the month
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rock — a stone
  18. board — to get on
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chip — to eat
  21. suit — clothes
  22. board — a committee
  23. press — newspapers
  24. march — the month

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