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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. press — to push
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ground — the earth
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. lean — thin
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. press — newspapers
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wax — to grow
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. ground — a position
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. sharp — clever
  18. press — a publisher
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. ground — crushed
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. snap — to click
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. sharp — with an edge

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