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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: present · prune · perch · bound · pit · press · wave · content

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. press — to push
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. perch — the fish
  6. prune — to trim
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bound — tied together
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. present — the time now
  11. content — happy
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. content — the amount
  14. present — a gift
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bound — obliged
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. present — there
  20. bound — certain
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. press — a publisher
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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