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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rash — a series
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. can — a tin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. can — a tin
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. can — to be able to
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. press — to push
  18. wax — to grow
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stem — to come from
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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