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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. court — for sport
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. plane — a tool
  6. press — newspapers
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. press — to push
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. press — a publisher
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bulb — for light
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. court — of law
  24. court — of a king

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