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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. press — to push
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. last — final
  11. last — to go on
  12. game — a match
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mug — a face
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. last — finally

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