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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mug — a face
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. press — newspapers
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. craft — boats
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wax — to grow
  11. land — ground
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mug — a cup
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. squash — the sport
  17. land — to come down
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. rest — a break
  21. land — a country
  22. squash — to crush
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mug — to rob

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