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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.

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: prune · press · capital · pit · lash · tube · fan · fine

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. press — to push
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. capital — a city
  21. pit — in a race
  22. press — a publisher
  23. tube — a container
  24. pit — a hole

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