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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. plane — a tool
  4. object — a thing
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. face — part of the head
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. press — newspapers
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. press — a publisher
  15. object — an aim
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. face — to point toward
  20. press — to push
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. face — to confront
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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