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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. can — to be able to
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. press — to push
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fine — high quality
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wax — to grow
  18. fine — all right
  19. bat — the animal
  20. rock — music
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. wind — moving air

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