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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: march · spell · bowl · deal · press · pop · patient · plane

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. plane — a tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. march — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. spell — a short time
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spell — magic
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pop — music
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pop — soda
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. spell — letters
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. press — to push
  24. deal — a big deal

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