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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 116 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: press · swing · perch · row · squash · bat · plane · nail

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. perch — the fish
  3. press — newspapers
  4. swing — to play on
  5. press — to push
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. row — to paddle
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — the animal
  13. squash — to crush
  14. swing — in golf
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. swing — music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. press — a publisher
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. row — a line
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. squash — the sport
  24. perch — for a bird

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