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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. suit — to fit
  4. can — to be able to
  5. suit — clothes
  6. prune — to trim
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tube — a container
  12. press — newspapers
  13. suit — in cards
  14. face — to confront
  15. can — a tin
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. tube — the underground
  19. can — a tin
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. face — to point toward
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. dip — to sink
  24. face — part of the head

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