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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: jam · dip · bay · key · press · plane · wave · temple

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. press — a publisher
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. dip — to sink
  17. key — the most important part
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. press — newspapers

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