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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 120 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: lash · nail · plane · bass · spell · press · present · rock

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  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. spell — letters
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spell — magic
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. present — there
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bass — low music
  9. press — to push
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. press — a publisher
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — a gift
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bass — the fish
  20. present — the time now
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rock — music
  23. spell — a short time
  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