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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wax — to grow
  6. press — newspapers
  7. board — to get on
  8. press — a publisher
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. press — to push
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cap — a hat
  20. craft — boats
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. board — a committee
  23. cap — of ice
  24. craft — a skill

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