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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: foot · mouse · prune · press · pit · bass · season · toast

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. season — in sport
  5. pit — in a race
  6. prune — to trim
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. season — of the year
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. toast — bread
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. pit — a hole
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bass — low music
  21. press — a publisher
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — to push

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