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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 120 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. press — newspapers
  3. craft — boats
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lean — to bend
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bulb — for light
  8. press — to push
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bass — low music
  23. lean — thin
  24. craft — a handicraft

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