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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: bore · stick · press · roll · prune · lie · fine · racket

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. roll — a list
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. press — newspapers
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fine — high quality
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bore — to tire
  19. press — to push
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bore — to drill

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