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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. press — to push
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. press — a publisher
  6. spring — of water
  7. press — newspapers
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spring — the season
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. suit — in cards
  13. track — a path
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. prune — to trim
  18. suit — clothes
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. kick — a thrill

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