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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 · leaves · bass · press · plane · pitcher · ball · prune

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bass — low music
  3. file — a document
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. file — a line of people
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ball — a dance
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. prune — to trim
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bass — the fish
  20. ball — a great time
  21. file — a tool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. press — newspapers
  24. prune — the fruit

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