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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bound — tied together
  3. game — a match
  4. game — wild animals
  5. press — newspapers
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bound — obliged
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — steady
  10. craft — boats
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. court — of a king
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bound — certain
  17. press — to push
  18. craft — a skill
  19. press — a publisher
  20. court — of law
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. plane — a tool
  23. firm — decided
  24. court — for sport

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