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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. chip — for betting
  4. charge — in control
  5. mine — for digging
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cold — an illness
  16. charge — a price
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. root — of a word
  19. cold — not warm
  20. chip — to eat
  21. press — a publisher
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. plane — an aircraft

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