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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wax — to grow
  4. tube — a container
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. press — a publisher
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. field — farmland
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. field — for sport
  19. rock — music
  20. field — a subject
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bowl — a dish

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