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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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. press — newspapers
  4. ground — the earth
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rest — a break
  7. ground — crushed
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rest — what's left
  11. content — the amount
  12. press — to push
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ground — a position
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. press — a publisher
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. content — happy
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. content — videos and posts

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