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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. tear — from crying
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bear — the animal
  6. game — wild animals
  7. plane — a tool
  8. game — a match
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pop — music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bear — the animal
  14. press — a publisher
  15. tear — to rip
  16. press — to push
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pop — soda
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pop — to visit
  24. tear — from crying

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