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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. press — a publisher
  3. field — a subject
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pit — a hole
  6. field — for sport
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pit — in a race
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. press — to push
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rash — a series
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. field — farmland
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mate — a friend

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