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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.

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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. club — for dancing
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rest — a break
  8. tear — to rip
  9. club — a group
  10. press — a publisher
  11. club — for golf
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. press — newspapers
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. press — to push
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rest — what's left
  24. safe — a strongbox

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