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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. suit — to fit
  3. press — to push
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mine — for digging
  6. stock — shares
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stock — goods
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wax — to grow
  24. press — a publisher

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