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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: snap · stand · plane · bay · file · chip · spell · press

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. chip — for betting
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. spell — magic
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. press — to push
  14. spell — letters
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. file — a document
  20. press — newspapers
  21. spell — a short time
  22. snap — to click
  23. plane — a tool
  24. chip — to eat

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