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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a dance
  10. press — newspapers
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. object — to protest
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stock — shares
  15. cap — a lid
  16. press — a publisher
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ball — a great time
  20. row — a line
  21. object — a thing
  22. press — to push
  23. stock — goods
  24. fan — to cool the air

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