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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. club — a group
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. season — in sport
  10. press — a publisher
  11. snap — to click
  12. press — to push
  13. face — to point toward
  14. prune — to trim
  15. face — to confront
  16. prune — to trim
  17. club — for dancing
  18. hand — in cards
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. season — of the year
  21. hand — help
  22. club — for golf
  23. face — part of the head
  24. prune — the fruit

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