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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bank — of a river
  3. prune — to trim
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rock — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mug — to rob
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. dip — to sink
  13. press — to push
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bank — for money
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rock — a stone
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mug — a cup
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mug — a face

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