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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. press — a publisher
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mug — a face
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pit — a hole
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mug — a cup
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. leaves — to go away

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