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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 120 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: press · mark · leaves · prune · calf · key · deal · lash

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. key — the most important part
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. press — newspapers
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mark — a trace
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. key — in music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. press — to push
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. press — a publisher
  24. calf — a young animal

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