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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
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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: toast · perch · ground · plane · key · pop · pound · press

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. key — in music
  3. plane — a tool
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ground — a position
  7. toast — bread
  8. ground — crushed
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pop — to visit
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ground — the earth
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pop — music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pop — soda
  19. press — to push
  20. pound — a weight
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. key — for a lock

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