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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bound — tied together
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. object — a thing
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. object — to protest
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wax — to grow
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. press — a publisher
  17. object — an aim
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bound — certain
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bound — obliged
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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