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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. press — newspapers
  5. firm — a company
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. clip — for paper
  10. scale — size or range
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. scale — in music
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. clip — to cut
  15. firm — steady
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. clip — a video
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. roll — a cake
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. firm — decided

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