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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. firm — decided
  3. hand — in cards
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. press — to push
  9. firm — steady
  10. spell — letters
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. firm — a company
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. spell — magic
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — a short time
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stock — goods
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hand — help
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stock — shares

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