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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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 · drill · racket · present · ground · lash · mug · prune

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ground — a position
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. prune — to trim
  7. press — to push
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. press — a publisher
  10. present — the time now
  11. ground — crushed
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ground — the earth
  15. drill — a practice
  16. press — newspapers
  17. drill — the tool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. present — there
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. present — a gift
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. mug — a face

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