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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. tube — a container
  5. sharp — clever
  6. press — newspapers
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wax — to grow
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bound — tied together
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. deal — to handle
  21. tube — the underground
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bound — certain
  24. fan — a supporter

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