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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: pass · lie · press · prune · drill · ruler

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. press — newspapers
  3. drill — a practice
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — army training
  9. press — to push
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pass — a permit
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. prune — the fruit

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