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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: perch · race · can · dip · prune · current · press · stem

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. race — a contest
  3. press — newspapers
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. can — to be able to
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. prune — to trim
  10. can — a tin
  11. race — humankind
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. perch — the fish
  14. current — happening now
  15. press — a publisher
  16. current — electric
  17. prune — to trim
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. current — of water
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stem — to come from

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