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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. field — a subject
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. press — newspapers
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pass — a permit
  9. field — for sport
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rash — hasty
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. press — a publisher
  23. swing — music
  24. field — farmland

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