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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — to trim
  6. content — the amount
  7. press — to push
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rest — a break
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fall — the season
  23. content — happy
  24. pound — to hit hard

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