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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: hand · press · mouse · board · jam · mate · hide · craft

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mate — a friend
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. board — to get on
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mate — a partner
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — help
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. craft — a skill
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. mate — to breed
  19. craft — boats
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. press — a publisher
  23. board — a committee
  24. hand — in cards

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