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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: mine · bound · prune · trunk · press · cabinet · pound · foot

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — to trim
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. press — newspapers
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bound — certain
  21. foot — a measure
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. press — to push
  24. pound — a weight

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