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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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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 · shower · perch · vault · deal · racket · press · snap

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. snap — to click
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — a tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. shower — to wash
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. press — newspapers
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. press — a publisher
  13. shower — rain
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. press — to push
  17. perch — the fish
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. vault — a safe
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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