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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. press — a publisher
  3. plane — a tool
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cue — a hint
  10. press — to push
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. press — newspapers
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cue — for pool
  24. chair — a leader

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