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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rest — what's left
  4. field — a subject
  5. rest — a break
  6. press — a publisher
  7. current — happening now
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rest — what's left
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. current — of water
  13. board — a committee
  14. field — for sport
  15. wax — to grow
  16. current — electric
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. field — farmland
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. press — to push
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. board — to get on

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