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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mug — to rob
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. prune — to trim
  6. press — newspapers
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. press — to push
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pop — soda
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. root — of a word
  18. pop — to visit
  19. vault — a safe
  20. root — the cause
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mug — a face
  23. pop — music
  24. mug — a cup

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