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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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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. staff — employees
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rock — a stone
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. press — a publisher
  9. face — to confront
  10. kid — to tease
  11. staff — employees
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. press — newspapers
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. face — part of the head
  20. staff — a stick
  21. kid — child
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. press — to push

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