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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
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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: press · drill · stem · plane · pound · squash · date · leaves

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. drill — the tool
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. drill — army training
  8. press — newspapers
  9. squash — to crush
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. drill — a practice
  19. squash — the sport
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. date — the fruit
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pound — a weight

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