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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. face — to point toward
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. face — to confront
  6. ball — a dance
  7. swing — in golf
  8. ball — a great time
  9. press — newspapers
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. swing — music
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rest — what's left
  15. swing — to play on
  16. press — to push
  17. rush — hurry
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. face — part of the head

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