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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fine — all right
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. squash — the sport
  8. craft — boats
  9. rest — what's left
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. craft — a skill
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rest — a break
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fine — high quality
  22. press — to push
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. plane — a tool

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