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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: fork · press · plane · race · stem · mug

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mug — a face
  6. race — a contest
  7. mug — a cup
  8. race — the arms race
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mug — to rob
  13. plane — a tool
  14. race — humankind
  15. stem — to come from
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fork — to eat with

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