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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. season — of the year
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. press — a publisher
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. prune — to trim
  17. content — the amount
  18. season — in sport
  19. track — a song
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. content — happy
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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