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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 · craft · plane · fall · press · rest · prune · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fall — to drop
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fall — the season
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. fall — to drop
  8. prune — to trim
  9. press — newspapers
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. rest — a break
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. bore — to drill
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. prune — to trim

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