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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bore — to tire
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pop — to visit
  7. file — a tool
  8. press — to push
  9. file — a line of people
  10. pop — soda
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pop — music
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. file — a document
  17. shower — to wash
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wax — to grow
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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