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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: shower · pass · press · firm · stick · craft · plane · key

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. press — a publisher
  3. key — in music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. press — to push
  8. firm — a company
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. press — newspapers
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. craft — a skill
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. key — the most important part
  23. plane — a tool
  24. craft — boats

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