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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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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: racket · press · capital · prune · stand · fork

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. capital — money
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fork — in a road
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. capital — a city
  9. press — a publisher
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. press — to push
  18. prune — to trim

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