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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.

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: press · net · hand · kick · fork · bay · prune · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. press — newspapers
  4. kick — in football
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. press — to push
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. hand — help
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. net — after costs
  17. hand — in cards
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fork — in a road
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fork — a garden tool

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