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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: suit · land · plane · press · racket · nail · trunk · chair

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. land — a country
  6. chair — a leader
  7. press — a publisher
  8. land — to come down
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. press — newspapers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. press — to push
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. suit — to fit
  22. land — ground
  23. suit — in cards
  24. plane — a tool

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