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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: fine · stand · press · perch · nail · dip · cell · plane

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. press — to push
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stand — to bear
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. cell — in biology
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. plane — a tool
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cell — a phone
  22. press — newspapers
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fine — a penalty

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