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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 116 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: press · fine · bank · game · craft · plane · board · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. plane — a tool
  3. craft — boats
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fine — high quality
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — to get on
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — of a river
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fine — all right
  13. press — newspapers
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. tube — the underground
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. press — to push
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. board — a committee
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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