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

Word bank: pit · press · cell · plane · march · bay

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. press — a publisher
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pit — a hole
  13. press — to push
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cell — in biology

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