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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. press — to push
  3. hand — in cards
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. hand — help
  6. race — the arms race
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. race — humankind
  10. board — to get on
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rest — what's left
  14. press — a publisher
  15. saw — the tool
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. race — a contest
  18. rest — a break
  19. board — a committee
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. plane — a tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. press — newspapers

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