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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pass — a permit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. scale — size or range
  11. press — newspapers
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. press — a publisher
  14. chair — a leader
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. clip — for paper
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. scale — in music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. clip — a video
  21. press — to push
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. mug — a face
  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