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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ground — a position
  5. press — newspapers
  6. fine — all right
  7. ground — the earth
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cap — a lid
  10. ground — crushed
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. race — humankind
  21. pop — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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