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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. prune — to trim
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. current — electric
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. current — of water
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. press — newspapers
  15. prune — to trim
  16. current — happening now
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. shower — rain
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stem — to come from
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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