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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: perch · press · firm · foot · racket · net · plane · row

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. foot — a measure
  3. firm — decided
  4. press — newspapers
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. net — after costs
  8. firm — a company
  9. plane — a tool
  10. perch — the fish
  11. net — in sport
  12. row — to paddle
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. press — a publisher
  16. row — a line
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. net — for catching
  19. firm — steady
  20. press — to push
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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