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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
468
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 · pound · plane · spring · cue · bear · object · suit

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. press — to push
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spring — a coil
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. object — to protest
  9. spring — the season
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cue — a hint
  13. spring — of water
  14. object — a thing
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cue — a signal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cue — for pool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. object — an aim
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. press — a publisher
  24. suit — to fit

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