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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stand — to bear
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. sharp — clever
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bank — for money
  19. lie — to recline
  20. press — to push
  21. spring — of water
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. spring — the season
  24. mine — an explosive

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