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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: present · wake · press · wave · mug · row · swing · plane

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mug — a cup
  4. swing — in golf
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wake — a trail
  11. present — the time now
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. press — to push
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. swing — music
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. row — a line
  18. present — a gift
  19. press — a publisher
  20. swing — to play on
  21. present — there
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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