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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: sharp · bark · prune · plane · suit · bore · shower · press

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. press — newspapers
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bore — to tire
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. sharp — clever
  8. press — a publisher
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. plane — a tool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. press — to push
  20. shower — rain
  21. bore — to drill
  22. shower — to wash
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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