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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.

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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. staff — a stick
  5. press — to push
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. staff — employees
  8. fine — all right
  9. staff — employees
  10. fine — high quality
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. spring — of water
  14. spell — letters
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. spell — a short time
  17. rock — music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. prune — to trim
  21. spell — magic
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — a stone
  24. spring — the season

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