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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — music
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. ball — a great time
  9. press — to push
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. press — a publisher
  12. face — to confront
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bulb — for light
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ball — a dance
  18. press — newspapers
  19. row — a line
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mug — a face
  24. rock — to move gently

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