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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: row · plane · cabinet · dip · press · straw · perch · lash

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. row — a line
  6. dip — to sink
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. press — newspapers
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. row — to paddle
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. press — a publisher
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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