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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 116 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: prune · bound · safe · pitcher · cap · bulb · press · swing

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bound — certain
  3. cap — a hat
  4. press — a publisher
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. cap — a lid
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bulb — for light
  10. prune — to trim
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bound — tied together
  13. swing — music
  14. bound — obliged
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. press — to push
  24. prune — to trim

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