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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. object — an aim
  3. cell — in biology
  4. object — to protest
  5. plane — a tool
  6. kid — child
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pop — soda
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pop — music
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — to tease
  23. object — a thing
  24. cue — a hint

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