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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 120 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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. press — newspapers
  6. game — a match
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cue — for pool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. press — to push
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. game — wild animals
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cue — a hint
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. press — a publisher
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tube — a container
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. prune — to trim

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