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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lie — to recline
  5. press — newspapers
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — music
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. swing — music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. press — to push
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. plane — a tool
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rock — a stone
  24. leaves — lets stay

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