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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bank — of a river
  3. race — the arms race
  4. press — a publisher
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bank — for money
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. race — humankind
  10. pit — a hole
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bass — the fish
  14. press — to push
  15. bass — low music
  16. race — a contest
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bank — for money
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. prune — to trim
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pit — in a race
  24. deal — a big deal

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