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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: firm · prune · cap · press · bowl · charge · rest · rush

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. firm — steady
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. firm — a company
  8. rest — a break
  9. charge — a price
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. charge — electricity
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rush — hurry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. charge — in control

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