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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bound — certain
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. press — newspapers
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — tied together
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. press — to push
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. can — a tin
  24. jam — a tight spot

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