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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. tube — a container
  7. bound — certain
  8. press — to push
  9. drill — the tool
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bound — tied together
  13. wax — to grow
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bound — obliged
  16. drill — army training
  17. ball — a great time
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. game — a match
  21. ball — a dance
  22. press — a publisher
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. game — wild animals

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