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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. face — part of the head
  5. prune — to trim
  6. dip — to sink
  7. race — humankind
  8. suit — in cards
  9. face — to point toward
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rock — music
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. club — for dancing
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. press — newspapers
  16. club — a group
  17. press — to push
  18. race — a contest
  19. rock — a stone
  20. face — to confront
  21. press — a publisher
  22. club — for golf
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. race — the arms race

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