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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. press — a publisher
  4. board — a committee
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. press — newspapers
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. board — to get on
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wax — to grow
  13. press — to push
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — to paddle
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. row — a line

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