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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. fall — the season
  6. press — to push
  7. prune — to trim
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wake — a trail
  10. fall — to drop
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. prune — to trim
  13. press — a publisher
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fall — to drop
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. press — newspapers
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. safe — a strongbox

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