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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. press — newspapers
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rash — a series
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. track — a song
  14. last — to go on
  15. last — finally
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. last — final
  20. press — to push
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. chair — to sit on
  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