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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. degree — an amount
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hand — help
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rest — a break
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. press — to push
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. cue — a hint
  20. degree — from a university
  21. hand — in cards
  22. degree — temperature
  23. rest — what's left
  24. plane — an aircraft

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