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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. drill — army training
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. ball — a great time
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. fork — in a road
  8. chair — a leader
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pit — in a race
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pit — a hole
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. press — to push
  22. cue — a hint
  23. press — newspapers
  24. wax — to grow

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