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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 124 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. plane — a tool
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — a trail
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pass — a permit
  12. press — to push
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. scale — in music
  20. tube — a container
  21. press — newspapers
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wound — an injury
  24. plane — an aircraft

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