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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. kick — in football
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. press — to push
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. court — for sport
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lean — thin
  15. press — a publisher
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. court — of law
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. court — of a king
  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