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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bound — certain
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — music
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. cue — for pool
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bound — obliged
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. prune — to trim
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pop — soda
  22. cue — a signal
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bound — tied together

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