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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. present — there
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. press — newspapers
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. present — the time now
  16. lean — to bend
  17. press — a publisher
  18. lean — thin
  19. press — to push
  20. bore — to tire
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. prune — to trim
  23. present — a gift
  24. bore — gave birth

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