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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pop — music
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rush — hurry
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rest — what's left
  13. roll — a cake
  14. prune — to trim
  15. press — to push
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. press — a publisher
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rest — a break
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pop — soda
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. foot — a measure
  24. roll — a list

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