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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 120 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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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: plane · press · cell · racket · bass · temple · stand · clip

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — in biology
  5. clip — to cut
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. plane — a tool
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bass — low music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. clip — for paper
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. clip — a video
  16. press — to push
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bass — the fish
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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