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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mark — a trace
  4. press — to push
  5. charge — a price
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wound — an injury
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. plane — a tool
  16. press — a publisher
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mark — a grade
  19. press — newspapers
  20. charge — in control
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pit — in a race
  24. leaves — of a tree

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