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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 120 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: plane · press · mug · dip · spell · squash · perch · calf

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. squash — to crush
  3. perch — the fish
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. squash — the sport
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — magic
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. press — a publisher
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. spell — a short time
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mug — to rob
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. press — to push
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. press — newspapers
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. dip — to sink
  24. calf — a young 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