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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 116 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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. press — a publisher
  3. march — the month
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. press — to push
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. charge — electricity
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. charge — a price
  17. march — the month
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. march — music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. press — newspapers
  23. current — happening now
  24. charge — in control

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