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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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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: bowl · root · date · press · lash · plane · present · racket

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. root — of a word
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. root — the cause
  9. date — the fruit
  10. root — of a plant
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. press — newspapers
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. present — the time now
  16. press — to push
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. present — a gift
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. press — a publisher
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. present — there

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