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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. press — to push
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. face — to confront
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. clip — a video
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. clip — for paper
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. clip — to cut
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. press — newspapers

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