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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — a tool
  4. press — newspapers
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. march — the month
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. kid — to tease
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pop — music
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. march — the month
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. kid — child
  22. press — a publisher
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. press — to push

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