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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 116 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: press · lean · bowl · saw · prune · present · degree · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lean — to bend
  7. prune — to trim
  8. press — to push
  9. present — the time now
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. saw — the tool
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. press — a publisher
  15. degree — from a university
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lean — thin
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — temperature

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