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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. press — a publisher
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. press — newspapers
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rest — a break
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cold — not warm
  14. wax — to grow
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — a grade
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. branch — a division
  19. press — to push
  20. mark — a trace
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rest — what's left

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