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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
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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: straw · bulb · rest · pop · press · pitcher · prune · hide

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — for light
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. press — a publisher
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pop — music
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. press — to push
  13. pop — soda
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rest — what's left

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