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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: board · clip · craft · mouse · fall · press · bark · pitcher

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. fall — the season
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. board — to get on
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fall — to drop
  10. clip — for paper
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. press — newspapers
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. clip — to cut
  16. press — to push
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bark — to shout

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