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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. suit — clothes
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. press — newspapers
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ground — a position
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wax — to grow
  16. press — to push
  17. fine — all right
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. press — a publisher
  24. fine — high quality

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