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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · press · root · safe · tube · prune · pitcher · snap

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. snap — to click
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. press — to push
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. tube — a container
  12. root — of a word
  13. object — a thing
  14. tube — the underground
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. root — the cause
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. root — of a plant
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. object — to protest
  24. safe — a strongbox

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