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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — a tool
  6. press — to push
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. ball — a great time
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. press — newspapers
  21. ball — a dance
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. arm — a part of something

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