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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. press — to push
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pop — soda
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. press — newspapers
  9. current — of water
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wax — to grow
  12. chair — a leader
  13. pop — music
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pop — to visit
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. current — electric
  24. current — happening now

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