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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. vault — a safe
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. press — a publisher
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mark — a grade
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pitch — completely
  24. coach — a trainer

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