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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. press — newspapers
  4. plane — a tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. press — to push
  9. fine — high quality
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. clip — to cut
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. dip — to sink
  15. clip — for paper
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fine — all right
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. squash — to crush
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. clip — a video
  24. squash — the sport

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