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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lean — thin
  13. press — to push
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rest — a break
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. press — a publisher
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a city
  23. date — the fruit
  24. rest — what's left

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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