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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: prune · present · drill · saw · shower · swing · press · foot

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. press — newspapers
  3. prune — to trim
  4. swing — in golf
  5. shower — rain
  6. drill — army training
  7. shower — to wash
  8. present — a gift
  9. swing — music
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. swing — to play on
  13. saw — the tool
  14. foot — a measure
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. press — to push
  18. drill — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. press — a publisher
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. prune — to trim
  24. drill — a practice

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