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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: season · press · plane · last · toast · date · tube · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. press — newspapers
  3. season — in sport
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. press — a publisher
  8. last — to go on
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. toast — bread
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. season — of the year
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. press — to push
  24. date — on the calendar

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