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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — newspapers
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bank — of a river
  8. land — ground
  9. press — a publisher
  10. scale — in music
  11. mate — a partner
  12. land — a country
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. press — to push
  21. bank — for money
  22. land — to come down
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. racket — a loud noise

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