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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. press — to push
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. firm — decided
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. object — an aim
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. object — a thing
  17. wind — moving air
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wind — moving air
  21. spell — a short time
  22. press — newspapers
  23. object — to protest
  24. press — a publisher

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