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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 116 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. press — a publisher
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — for a lock
  5. capital — money
  6. plane — a tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pop — music
  11. key — in music
  12. pop — soda
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. capital — a city
  15. pop — to visit
  16. press — newspapers
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. key — the most important part
  23. branch — a division
  24. press — to push

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