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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. spring — the season
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. spring — a coil
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. board — a committee
  10. suit — to fit
  11. board — to get on
  12. spring — of water
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. press — newspapers
  17. key — for a lock
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. press — a publisher
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — in cards
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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