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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. plane — a tool
  3. press — a publisher
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. content — the amount
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rule — government
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rule — a law
  23. content — happy
  24. nail — for a hammer

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