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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. hand — in cards
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. press — a publisher
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. hand — help
  15. cue — a signal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. plane — a tool
  18. spell — letters
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pound — a weight
  21. press — to push
  22. spell — magic
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hand — part of the body

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