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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: date · coach · pit · press · toast · suit · plane · fork

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. press — to push
  3. toast — bread
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — in a road
  12. press — a publisher
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. date — the fruit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — a tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. date — on the calendar

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