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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lie — to recline
  5. firm — steady
  6. press — a publisher
  7. prune — to trim
  8. firm — a company
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — decided
  15. press — to push
  16. race — humankind
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mine — for digging

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