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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.

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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 · suit · prune · ground · stem · track · cue · fall

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ground — a position
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cue — a hint
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — to fit
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stem — to come from
  10. fall — to drop
  11. press — to push
  12. cue — for pool
  13. ground — the earth
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. track — a path
  17. press — a publisher
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  24. prune — to trim

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