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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.

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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: jam · date · wind · straw · plane · press · mark · pass

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. jam — in traffic
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pass — a permit
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. press — a publisher
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wind — moving air
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wind — moving air
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pass — to spend 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