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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. net — for catching
  3. hand — in cards
  4. press — a publisher
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. net — after costs
  7. deal — to handle
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. net — in sport
  14. hand — help
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. press — to push
  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