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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: plane · pop · kick · club · press · wave

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. press — newspapers
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. press — a publisher
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. club — for golf
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. club — a group
  14. press — to push
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music

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