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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. prune — to trim
  6. press — newspapers
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. press — to push
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pit — a hole
  13. prune — to trim
  14. dip — to sink
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pit — in a race
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. plane — a tool

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