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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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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: dip · bear · prune · leaves · fine · coach · press · can

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. can — a tin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fine — high quality
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fine — all right
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. dip — to sink
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. press — newspapers
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. can — a tin
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. fine — a penalty

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