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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. press — newspapers
  7. prune — to trim
  8. board — to get on
  9. bear — the animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. plane — a tool
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mine — for digging
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. press — to push
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. press — a publisher
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. board — a committee

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