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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.

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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: rule · hand · press · cap · foot · hide · calf · prune

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cap — of ice
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rule — a law
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. cap — a hat
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. cap — a lid
  20. foot — a measure
  21. press — to push
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hand — help
  24. foot — part of the body

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