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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.

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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: press · fan · prune · rush · lash · firm

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. press — a publisher
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. press — to push
  7. firm — a company
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — a thrill

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