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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. key — the most important part
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. key — in music
  16. stem — to come from
  17. press — to push
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. key — for a lock
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bass — the fish
  22. present — a gift
  23. bear — the animal
  24. prune — to trim

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