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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. date — the fruit
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. staff — employees
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pit — a hole
  9. press — newspapers
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. press — to push
  14. staff — employees
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mug — a face
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — in a road
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — a stem cell

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