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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. squash — to crush
  10. press — a publisher
  11. craft — boats
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. content — the amount
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. content — happy
  21. pit — in a race
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. squash — the sport

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