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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. press — newspapers
  3. shower — to wash
  4. club — for golf
  5. press — a publisher
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pass — a permit
  8. press — to push
  9. bore — to tire
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. club — a group
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. lie — to recline
  17. scale — in music
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. shower — rain
  21. wax — to grow
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wax — for sculpting

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