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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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Word bank
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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. suit — to fit
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. snap — to click
  14. toast — bread
  15. cell — in biology
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. suit — clothes
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. press — a publisher
  24. suit — in cards

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