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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: saw · prune · lean · racket · shower · safe · season · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. press — newspapers
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. shower — to wash
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. prune — to trim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. season — of the year
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. shower — rain
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. press — to push
  20. lean — to bend
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. lean — thin
  23. season — in sport
  24. saw — the tool

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