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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. press — newspapers
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fall — the season
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. fall — to drop
  10. saw — the tool
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mark — a trace
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. fall — to drop
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. saw — the tool

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