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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 · board · press · ruler · temple · net · shower · toast

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. hand — help
  7. board — to get on
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. shower — to wash
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. press — a publisher
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. net — for catching
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. toast — bread
  20. net — in sport
  21. hand — in cards
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. shower — rain
  24. board — a committee

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