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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rule — a law
  8. prune — to trim
  9. press — to push
  10. press — newspapers
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — government
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. rest — what's left
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pop — soda
  23. rest — a break
  24. wind — moving air

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