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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — a publisher
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. sharp — clever
  10. press — newspapers
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cap — of ice
  13. press — to push
  14. cap — a hat
  15. dip — to sink
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cap — a lid
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. scale — in music
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — 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