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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: object · court · plane · mark · press · chip · present · deal

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. press — newspapers
  10. court — for sport
  11. chip — to eat
  12. press — to push
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. court — of a king
  15. chip — for betting
  16. plane — a tool
  17. court — of law
  18. mark — a trace
  19. press — a publisher
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. present — there
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. chip — in a computer

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