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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: staff · press · lash · suit · prune · drill · kick · bowl

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. drill — army training
  7. staff — employees
  8. kick — in football
  9. suit — to fit
  10. press — newspapers
  11. suit — in cards
  12. press — a publisher
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. drill — a practice
  17. press — to push
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. drill — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. prune — to trim
  23. suit — clothes
  24. kick — with a leg

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