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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. press — a publisher
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. press — newspapers
  9. row — a line
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. press — to push
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pass — a permit
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. ball — a great time

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