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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. spell — magic
  8. wound — an injury
  9. prune — to trim
  10. spell — letters
  11. pass — a permit
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wound — an injury
  16. spell — a short time
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. press — to push
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. prune — to trim

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