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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: mate · roll · lash · perch · stem · press · net · date

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. press — to push
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. roll — a list
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. net — after costs
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a cake
  16. press — newspapers
  17. stem — to come from
  18. press — a publisher
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. date — the fruit
  22. mate — a partner
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. net — in sport

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