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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: hide · press · shower · season · bear · can · bulb · prune

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. press — to push
  15. can — a tin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bulb — for light
  20. press — newspapers
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bear — the animal

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