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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — to push
  3. lean — thin
  4. wax — to grow
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. drill — army training
  13. press — newspapers
  14. net — for catching
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. fine — all right
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fine — high quality

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