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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: game · toast · lean · press · plane · mark · spring · suit

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — the season
  4. press — newspapers
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mark — a trace
  8. suit — in cards
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lean — thin
  12. suit — clothes
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. press — to push
  15. game — wild animals
  16. spring — a coil
  17. game — a match
  18. toast — bread
  19. plane — a tool
  20. press — a publisher
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. lean — to rest against

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