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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: perch · press · plane · bore · rock · club · mouse · wound

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — newspapers
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. perch — the fish
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. club — for golf
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. club — for dancing
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rock — music
  19. wound — an injury
  20. press — to push
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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