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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cap — a lid
  3. plane — a tool
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bore — to drill
  6. press — to push
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. stock — shares
  11. march — music
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. last — final
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bore — to tire
  16. march — the month
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cap — a hat
  19. last — finally
  20. last — to go on
  21. pound — a weight
  22. cap — of ice
  23. march — the month
  24. stock — goods

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