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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 120 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: plane · perch · march · press · bass · suit · board · ball

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. march — the month
  3. press — a publisher
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. plane — a tool
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a dance
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. march — the month
  11. perch — the fish
  12. board — to get on
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. suit — clothes
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. march — music

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