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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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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: ruler · fork · spell · press · pit · plane

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. fork — in a road
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pit — a hole
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spell — letters
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. press — to push
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool

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