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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: fan · prune · rash · calf · hand · pass · bound · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rash — hasty
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hand — help
  6. rash — a series
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bound — tied together
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bound — certain
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. press — to push
  18. bound — obliged
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pass — a permit
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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