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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
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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: date · press · rock · prune · mouse · mine · ruler · stand

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. press — to push
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rock — music
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mine — for digging
  14. prune — to trim
  15. date — the fruit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. press — newspapers
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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