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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. spell — magic
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spell — letters
  5. perch — the fish
  6. drill — a practice
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. drill — army training
  11. spell — a short time
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bank — for money
  15. press — a publisher
  16. drill — the tool
  17. can — a tin
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. can — a tin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. press — to push

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