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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.

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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. file — a line of people
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rule — a law
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. press — to push
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rule — government
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. file — a document
  15. wake — a trail
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. file — a tool
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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