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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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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: press · roll · stand · rule · rush · prune · stem · pit

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rule — government
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stand — to bear
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pit — in a race
  16. press — newspapers
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rule — a law
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. press — to push
  23. stem — to come from
  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