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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wax — to grow
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. press — to push
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fine — high quality
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. staff — employees
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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