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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 · press · lie · hide · present · hand · charge · perch

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lie — to recline
  3. press — to push
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. hand — in cards
  6. board — to get on
  7. charge — a price
  8. present — the time now
  9. press — a publisher
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. present — there
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hand — help
  14. present — a gift
  15. board — a committee
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. perch — the fish
  24. press — newspapers

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