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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. firm — a company
  3. press — a publisher
  4. firm — decided
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. press — newspapers
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. file — a line of people
  11. hand — help
  12. rest — what's left
  13. press — to push
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. file — a document
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. firm — steady
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mark — a grade
  24. file — a tool

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