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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rush — hurry
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. press — to push
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. hand — help
  23. prune — to trim
  24. object — to protest

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