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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. press — to push
  3. firm — a company
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spell — a short time
  7. press — newspapers
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. firm — decided
  11. spell — magic
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. row — to paddle
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. plane — a tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — letters
  21. press — a publisher
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. firm — steady
  24. coach — a trainer

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