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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. march — music
  3. press — newspapers
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. march — the month
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tear — from crying
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. march — the month
  18. press — to push
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. mouse — the animal

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