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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. cap — of ice
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cap — a hat
  6. press — newspapers
  7. kid — to tease
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. kid — child
  12. bear — the animal
  13. plane — a tool
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — music
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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