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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — a publisher
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bound — certain
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lie — to recline
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — magic
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. press — to push
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. can — a tin
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pound — a weight

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