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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. plane — a tool
  4. present — the time now
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. toast — bread
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. vault — a safe
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. present — there
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pound — a weight
  22. press — newspapers
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bulb — for light

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