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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spell — magic
  4. press — to push
  5. degree — temperature
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. spell — letters
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. spell — a short time
  12. wax — to grow
  13. club — a group
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lie — to recline
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. club — for golf
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. degree — from a university
  23. club — for dancing
  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