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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · press · kick · plane · ball · ruler

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. kick — in football
  8. plane — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — newspapers

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