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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. net — after costs
  5. press — to push
  6. net — for catching
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. press — newspapers
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. net — in sport
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. mug — a face
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ground — crushed

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