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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. tube — a container
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. pit — a hole
  6. tube — the underground
  7. key — in music
  8. pit — in a race
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. key — the most important part
  17. press — to push
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. key — for a lock
  21. prune — to trim
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bat — the animal
  24. press — a publisher

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