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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. court — of law
  3. press — a publisher
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. press — to push
  9. court — of a king
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ball — a great time
  14. court — for sport
  15. rest — a break
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pass — a permit
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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