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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: swing · lie · craft · ball · board · mate · foot · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. mate — to breed
  3. swing — to play on
  4. ball — a dance
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. swing — in golf
  7. mate — a partner
  8. craft — boats
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. board — a committee
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. craft — a skill
  14. foot — a measure
  15. swing — music
  16. press — newspapers
  17. board — to get on
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  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