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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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. press — a publisher
  4. press — newspapers
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. toast — bread
  8. staff — employees
  9. prune — to trim
  10. staff — employees
  11. prune — to trim
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. staff — a stick
  19. band — a ring
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. tear — to rip
  22. band — a music group
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. toast — the most admired

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