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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: hand · press · charge · bore · prune · pass · firm · arm

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. bore — to tire
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pass — a permit
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. prune — to trim
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. press — newspapers
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. firm — a company
  12. prune — to trim
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — steady
  15. press — to push
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. press — a publisher
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. hand — help
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. firm — decided
  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