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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. suit — clothes
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bass — low music
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mine — for digging
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. press — to push
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. press — a publisher
  21. foot — a measure
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bass — the fish

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