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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 116 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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. mug — a face
  5. press — a publisher
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. drill — army training
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. spell — magic
  13. mug — to rob
  14. press — to push
  15. drill — a practice
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. mug — a cup
  18. prune — to trim
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. drill — the tool
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pitch — completely

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