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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: stand · deal · bark · mate · board · fall · ball · press

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. mate — a partner
  5. board — a committee
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fall — to drop
  11. press — to push
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mate — a friend
  14. press — newspapers
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bark — to shout
  18. board — to get on
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fall — to drop
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fall — the season
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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