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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
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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: ruler · march · press · plane · pit · wave · game · firm

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. game — a match
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — steady
  8. march — the month
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. firm — decided
  11. march — the month
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. firm — a company
  15. press — to push
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. press — newspapers
  21. march — music
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. game — wild animals

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