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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. land — to come down
  8. press — to push
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. plane — a tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. press — a publisher
  13. degree — an amount
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. land — a country
  16. deal — to handle
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. degree — temperature
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. land — ground
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. degree — from a university
  24. stand — on your feet

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