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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pop — music
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. deal — to handle
  11. press — to push
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. press — a publisher
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bank — for money

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