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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: wind · saw · lie · prune · firm · press · clip · roll

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. roll — a list
  3. press — newspapers
  4. firm — a company
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. firm — decided
  10. press — to push
  11. roll — a cake
  12. press — a publisher
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — to cut
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wind — moving air
  17. saw — the tool
  18. clip — a video
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. prune — to trim
  21. firm — steady
  22. saw — the tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wind — moving air

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