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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: lie · dip · plane · press · stick · mark · ruler · arm

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — a trace
  3. press — to push
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. press — newspapers
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. press — a publisher
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mark — a grade

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