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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. staff — employees
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — employees
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mark — a trace
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. press — to push
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. press — a publisher
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wound — an injury
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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