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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. drill — the tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. chip — for betting
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. plane — a tool
  14. chip — to eat
  15. drill — army training
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. drill — a practice
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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