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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 116 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: mark · racket · press · board · bat · nail · content · saw

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  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. content — videos and posts
  2. saw — the tool
  3. board — a committee
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. content — happy
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mark — a grade
  10. board — to get on
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mark — a trace
  13. press — to push
  14. bat — the animal
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. content — the amount
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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