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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 120 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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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 · press · rest · straw · foot · bowl · calf · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rest — a break
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. press — a publisher
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. calf — of the leg

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