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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. press — a publisher
  6. present — there
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. present — a gift
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pop — soda
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pop — music
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. press — to push
  18. present — the time now
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pop — to visit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. scale — in music
  24. chip — for betting

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