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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.

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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 · spring · plane · nail · suit · ruler · wave · lean

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. spring — of water
  8. lean — thin
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. press — a publisher
  14. spring — the season
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. plane — a tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. press — to push
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lean — to bend
  24. nail — for a hammer

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