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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fine — high quality
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cue — for pool
  8. current — of water
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fine — all right
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. cue — a hint
  13. current — happening now
  14. lean — thin
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. content — the amount
  18. press — newspapers
  19. current — electric
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. content — happy
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cue — a signal

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