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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. press — newspapers
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pop — soda
  11. saw — the tool
  12. object — a thing
  13. pop — to visit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. object — an aim
  17. press — a publisher
  18. last — final
  19. snap — to click
  20. last — finally
  21. swing — music
  22. last — to go on
  23. object — to protest
  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