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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. press — to push
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cue — a hint
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. press — a publisher
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. cue — a signal
  23. date — the fruit
  24. nail — on a finger

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