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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: band · calf · prune · press · bear · net · toast · race

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bear — the animal
  4. race — a contest
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. press — newspapers
  7. prune — to trim
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. race — the arms race
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bear — the animal
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. race — humankind
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. net — after costs
  19. press — a publisher
  20. toast — bread
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. prune — to trim
  24. press — to push

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