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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: press · safe · can · trunk · plane · field · scale · clip

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. press — a publisher
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. clip — to cut
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. can — to be able to
  11. field — farmland
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. clip — for paper
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. clip — a video
  16. field — for sport
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. press — newspapers
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — size or range
  21. can — a tin
  22. field — a subject
  23. press — to push
  24. plane — a tool

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