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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. roll — a cake
  3. club — a group
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. press — a publisher
  7. plane — a tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. club — for dancing
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. drill — a practice
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. press — newspapers
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. drill — army training
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. drill — the tool
  21. press — to push
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. club — for golf
  24. stem — to come from

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