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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. press — a publisher
  4. wax — to grow
  5. firm — decided
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. staff — a stick
  9. press — newspapers
  10. branch — a division
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. firm — a company
  14. pit — in a race
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pit — a hole
  20. firm — steady
  21. press — to push
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. cap — a lid
  24. branch — of a bank

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