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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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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. spell — letters
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. prune — to trim
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. spell — magic
  17. stem — to come from
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. spell — a short time
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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