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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: track · cabinet · sharp · press · field · board · wave · stock

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. field — farmland
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. field — a subject
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. track — to keep track
  11. field — for sport
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. board — to get on
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. board — a committee
  17. stock — goods
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. press — to push
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. press — a publisher
  24. stock — shares

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