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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 120 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. court — of a king
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. press — newspapers
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fork — in a road
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. squash — the sport
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wax — to grow
  17. squash — to crush
  18. court — of law
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. scale — in music
  22. court — for sport
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rock — to move gently

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