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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pop — music
  3. press — to push
  4. mug — a face
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. pop — to visit
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — to grow
  10. rash — a series
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. race — a contest
  14. rash — hasty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. press — newspapers
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mug — to rob
  20. race — the arms race
  21. pop — soda
  22. race — humankind
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mouse — the animal

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