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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. band — a ring
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. press — to push
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cap — a lid
  11. press — newspapers
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. press — a publisher
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pound — for dogs

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