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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. press — a publisher
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. suit — clothes
  5. press — to push
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. scale — size or range
  8. lean — thin
  9. date — the fruit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. scale — in music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. scale — for weighing

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