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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bear — the animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cell — in biology
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. cell — a phone
  12. file — a line of people
  13. press — to push
  14. prune — to trim
  15. file — a document
  16. press — a publisher
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. file — a tool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bear — the animal

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