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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. can — to be able to
  5. press — a publisher
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. spell — magic
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. can — a tin
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — to trim
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — a country
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. land — to come down
  18. press — to push
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spell — letters
  21. press — newspapers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bulb — of a plant

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