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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bass — low music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cap — a hat
  12. craft — boats
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cap — of ice
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. season — in sport
  18. cap — a lid
  19. press — to push
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bass — the fish
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. craft — a handicraft

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