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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. object — to protest
  6. board — to get on
  7. spell — letters
  8. bear — the animal
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. press — a publisher
  22. spell — magic
  23. board — a committee
  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