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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. court — for sport
  3. prune — to trim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. press — newspapers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stock — shares
  10. present — the time now
  11. prune — to trim
  12. press — a publisher
  13. court — of law
  14. stock — goods
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. court — of a king
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. present — a gift
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. present — there
  24. press — to push

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