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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. press — a publisher
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. date — the fruit
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. press — to push
  19. prune — to trim
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. press — newspapers
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. safe — a strongbox

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