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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rock — music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. band — a music group
  11. plane — a tool
  12. press — to push
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — to paddle
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. key — in music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. band — a ring
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. row — a line

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