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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fine — all right
  13. press — to push
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. stand — to bear
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. press — newspapers
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mouse — for a computer

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