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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. staff — a stick
  4. present — there
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bass — low music
  7. present — a gift
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. wax — to grow
  11. present — the time now
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bear — the animal
  18. press — to push
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cell — in a prison

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