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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: plane · lie · racket · spell · ground · press · staff · chip

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ground — crushed
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — a tool
  11. chip — for betting
  12. staff — a stick
  13. spell — magic
  14. lie — to recline
  15. staff — employees
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. chip — to eat
  19. staff — employees
  20. spell — a short time
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spell — letters
  24. press — to push

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