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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: file · press · kick · plane · ball · ruler · net · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ball — a dance
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. net — in sport
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. file — a line of people
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a document
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. press — to push
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — newspapers
  19. kick — in football
  20. plane — a tool
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. press — a publisher

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