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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. press — a publisher
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ground — a position
  9. ball — a great time
  10. press — newspapers
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fine — all right
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fine — high quality
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. press — to push
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ground — the earth
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bass — low music
  24. wake — a trail

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