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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. last — to go on
  3. field — for sport
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. press — a publisher
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — a subject
  9. press — newspapers
  10. last — finally
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. last — final
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chip — for betting
  20. press — to push
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. chip — to eat
  24. hide — animal skin

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