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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. press — to push
  5. season — of the year
  6. charge — in control
  7. press — newspapers
  8. charge — a price
  9. clip — for paper
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. clip — a video
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stock — goods
  18. clip — to cut
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. season — in sport
  21. press — a publisher
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stock — shares
  24. plane — in geometry

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