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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ball — a dance
  3. press — a publisher
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. press — to push
  11. rest — a break
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — a leader
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wax — to grow
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wax — in the ear

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