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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. prune — to trim
  3. press — newspapers
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. clip — to cut
  8. chip — to eat
  9. clip — a video
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pass — a permit
  16. press — to push
  17. clip — for paper
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. prune — to trim
  22. firm — a company
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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