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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. drill — the tool
  3. suit — in cards
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pop — music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mate — a partner
  8. press — to push
  9. drill — army training
  10. mate — a friend
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spell — a short time
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. press — a publisher
  15. drill — a practice
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fine — all right
  18. spell — magic
  19. mate — to breed
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. spell — letters
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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