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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: board · press · object · leaves · charge · fan · nail · clip

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. press — newspapers
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. clip — a video
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. board — to get on
  12. clip — for paper
  13. board — a committee
  14. charge — electricity
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. clip — to cut
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. object — an aim
  20. charge — a price
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. charge — in control
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. press — a publisher

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