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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.

Words on the sheet
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: prune · leaves · sharp · bowl · drill · cabinet · ruler · press

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. drill — a practice
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. drill — army training
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — newspapers
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. drill — the tool
  19. press — to push
  20. sharp — clever
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. sharp — exactly

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