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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. key — the most important part
  4. face — part of the head
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. press — to push
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stand — to bear
  10. plane — a tool
  11. key — in music
  12. press — newspapers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a line of people
  15. key — for a lock
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. face — to confront
  23. press — a publisher
  24. prune — the fruit

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