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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rule — a law
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. press — a publisher
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. march — music
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bass — low music
  10. foot — a measure
  11. prune — to trim
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rule — government
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. march — the month
  18. prune — to trim
  19. press — newspapers
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. march — the month
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. press — to push
  24. bass — the instrument

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