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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 116 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: wave · snap · ruler · press · plane · pit · spring · hide

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pit — in a race
  5. spring — of water
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. spring — a coil
  17. press — to push
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. spring — the season
  20. press — a publisher
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. plane — a tool
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pit — a hole

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