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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. kid — child
  5. press — newspapers
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. race — humankind
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. staff — employees
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. press — to push
  12. staff — a stick
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fork — in a road
  17. staff — employees
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. press — a publisher
  21. race — a contest
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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