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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. prune — to trim
  3. press — to push
  4. bound — obliged
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bound — tied together
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. pop — soda
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rock — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bound — certain
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pop — music
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pound — a weight
  22. hand — help
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pound — to hit hard

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