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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · craft · chair · dip · ruler · press · prune · fan

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. press — to push
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. dip — to sink
  15. craft — boats
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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