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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. dip — to sink
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. craft — a skill
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — to paddle
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stem — to come from
  22. row — a line
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. arm — part of the body

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