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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: ball · scale · prune · chair · board · stock · press · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. press — newspapers
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ball — a dance
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. press — to push
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. scale — size or range
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. board — a committee
  15. stock — goods
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. scale — in music
  19. stock — shares
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. press — a publisher
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ball — a great time

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