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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 116 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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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: cell · press · prune · pound · shower · ruler · leaves · cabinet

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. press — newspapers
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. press — a publisher
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cell — in biology
  9. press — to push
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. prune — to trim
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cell — a phone
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. shower — rain
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. shower — to wash

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