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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: bark · perch · key · pop · net · press · plane · cabinet

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pop — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — for a lock
  8. press — to push
  9. pop — to visit
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. net — after costs
  22. pop — soda
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — a publisher

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