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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: press · sharp · prune · deal · craft · dip · branch · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. press — newspapers
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. press — to push
  9. prune — to trim
  10. press — a publisher
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. deal — to handle
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rush — hurry
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. sharp — clever
  21. dip — to sink
  22. craft — boats
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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