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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. press — to push
  3. rash — a series
  4. press — newspapers
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a great time
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cap — of ice
  13. can — a tin
  14. press — a publisher
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rest — a break
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cap — a hat

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