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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ground — crushed
  3. press — to push
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rest — a break
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. press — newspapers
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. object — an aim
  15. board — to get on
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. board — a committee
  19. object — a thing
  20. rest — what's left
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. object — to protest
  23. face — to point toward
  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