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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. firm — decided
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. press — to push
  6. firm — a company
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. prune — to trim
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mug — to rob
  12. race — humankind
  13. stem — to come from
  14. prune — to trim
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. hand — in cards
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. press — a publisher
  19. firm — steady
  20. race — a contest
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. stem — of a plant

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