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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. date — the fruit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. present — a gift
  5. roll — a list
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. last — finally
  8. present — there
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. press — a publisher
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. press — to push
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. last — to go on
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. press — newspapers
  20. roll — a cake
  21. wax — to grow
  22. last — final
  23. wake — a trail
  24. lie — to recline

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