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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · suit · plane · wake · fan · press · pound · chair

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wake — a trail
  7. press — to push
  8. chair — a leader
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mark — a grade
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pound — a weight
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. press — a publisher
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mark — a trace

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