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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. press — newspapers
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. press — to push
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bore — to tire
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. row — a line
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wax — to grow
  14. ground — crushed
  15. press — a publisher
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bore — to drill
  19. band — a ring
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. band — a music group
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. row — to paddle

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