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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: prune · craft · swing · ruler · net · jam · press · saw

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. net — for catching
  3. press — a publisher
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. swing — in golf
  7. press — newspapers
  8. prune — to trim
  9. swing — music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. saw — the tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. swing — to play on
  18. craft — boats
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. craft — a skill
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. saw — the tool
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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