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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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 — to trim
  2. press — to push
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. snap — to click
  5. stem — to come from
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. current — happening now
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. suit — clothes
  15. press — newspapers
  16. prune — to trim
  17. current — of water
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. net — for catching
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stand — to bear
  22. current — electric
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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