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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. press — to push
  6. pit — in a race
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rock — music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wax — to grow
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. press — newspapers
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. lie — to recline
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rock — a stone

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