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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.

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: racket · press · prune · clip · calf · coach · bank · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. clip — for paper
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. prune — to trim
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. clip — a video
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — to trim
  23. clip — to cut
  24. press — to push

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