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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. net — in sport
  3. spell — magic
  4. march — the month
  5. press — to push
  6. rock — a stone
  7. net — after costs
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rock — music
  13. spell — a short time
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. spell — letters
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. net — for catching
  24. safe — out of danger

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