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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. track — to keep track
  5. press — to push
  6. snap — to click
  7. track — a song
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. key — the most important part
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bark — to shout
  14. track — a path
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bark — of a tree

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