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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 116 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. band — a music group
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. press — a publisher
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. band — a ring
  8. spell — a short time
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. board — a committee
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. press — newspapers
  16. vault — a safe
  17. spell — letters
  18. press — to push
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. spell — magic
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. plane — a tool
  24. board — to get on

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