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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — newspapers
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitch — completely
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. kick — in football
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. plane — a tool
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a line of people
  16. object — a thing
  17. press — to push
  18. object — an aim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. file — a tool
  21. suit — clothes
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. present — there

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