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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. spell — letters
  3. prune — to trim
  4. press — to push
  5. key — in music
  6. press — newspapers
  7. season — of the year
  8. lean — to bend
  9. current — happening now
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. key — for a lock
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lean — thin
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. current — of water
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. spell — magic
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. current — electric
  24. key — the most important part

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