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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. press — a publisher
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ruler — for measuring

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