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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: object · ball · rush · press · stick · arm · can · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. object — to protest
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. ball — a dance
  7. can — to be able to
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. press — to push
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rush — hurry
  19. object — a thing
  20. can — a tin
  21. object — an aim
  22. ball — a great time
  23. press — a publisher
  24. arm — part of the body

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