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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: hand · saw · bore · prune · root · rest · plane · press

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. root — of a word
  6. hand — help
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. press — a publisher
  12. hand — in cards
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. saw — the tool
  18. press — newspapers
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. press — to push
  22. prune — to trim
  23. plane — a tool
  24. prune — to trim

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