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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · bore · bear · press · plane · key · land · roll

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bear — the animal
  3. land — a country
  4. press — a publisher
  5. key — for a lock
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. roll — a list
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. land — to come down
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. roll — a cake

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