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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: racket · bound · mug · calf · toast · net · press · prune

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. net — in sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. press — a publisher
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mug — to rob
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bound — tied together
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. press — to push
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mug — a face
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. prune — to trim
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. net — for catching
  22. bound — obliged
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bound — certain

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