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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.

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: swing · prune · dip · stick · scale · bulb · bark · press

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. swing — in golf
  3. prune — to trim
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — music
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. swing — to play on
  11. scale — size or range
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. press — newspapers
  18. prune — to trim
  19. press — to push
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. scale — for weighing

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