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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: mouse · press · hand · drill · bore · roll · scale · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. drill — army training
  3. roll — a cake
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. drill — a practice
  7. press — to push
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. press — newspapers
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bore — to tire
  15. scale — in music
  16. roll — a list
  17. drill — the tool
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. press — a publisher

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