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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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. stand — for spectators
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — a division
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — a tool
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wind — moving air
  13. field — a subject
  14. wind — moving air
  15. field — for sport
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stand — to bear
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. field — farmland
  24. lie — an untruth

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