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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. press — a publisher
  3. fine — all right
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. snap — to click
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. press — to push
  9. press — newspapers
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. can — a tin
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — of a plant
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. root — of a word
  17. object — an aim
  18. fine — high quality
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. root — the cause
  23. prune — to trim
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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