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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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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. fine — high quality
  2. net — after costs
  3. chip — to eat
  4. plane — a tool
  5. net — in sport
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fine — all right
  9. press — to push
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chip — for betting
  15. press — a publisher
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. foot — a measure
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — for catching
  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