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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. prune — to trim
  3. toast — bread
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. press — to push
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. press — newspapers
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — thin
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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