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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · coach · craft · bay · bear · prune · trunk · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pop — soda
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. prune — to trim
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pop — music
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. craft — a skill

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