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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spell — magic
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. press — newspapers
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. foot — a measure
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. band — a music group
  12. suit — to fit
  13. press — to push
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. press — a publisher
  16. plane — a tool
  17. band — a ring
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. spell — a short time
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. spell — letters
  24. plane — an aircraft

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