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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rock — music
  4. present — a gift
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. present — there
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. charge — a price
  16. wax — to grow
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — a break
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. present — the time now
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rock — a stone
  24. charge — electricity

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