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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mate — a partner
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mate — a friend
  7. object — an aim
  8. current — of water
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. court — of a king
  13. mate — to breed
  14. object — a thing
  15. press — newspapers
  16. object — to protest
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. prune — to trim
  20. current — happening now
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — electric
  24. court — of law

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