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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fall — the season
  7. tube — the underground
  8. season — in sport
  9. fall — to drop
  10. can — to be able to
  11. branch — a division
  12. prune — to trim
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mate — a partner
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mate — to breed
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. can — a tin
  20. press — a publisher
  21. can — a tin
  22. mate — a friend
  23. tube — a container
  24. fall — to drop

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