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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wax — to grow
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. squash — the sport
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. press — to push
  11. craft — boats
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. squash — to crush
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pitcher — a jug

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