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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 116 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cue — for pool
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stock — shares
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stock — goods
  14. cue — a signal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. press — newspapers
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pit — in a race
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cue — a hint

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