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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. press — newspapers
  3. spring — the season
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. chair — a leader
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. drill — army training
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. spring — a coil
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. drill — the tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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