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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. object — an aim
  3. staff — employees
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. object — to protest
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. season — in sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cold — not warm
  13. staff — employees
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. press — a publisher
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wax — to grow
  20. press — to push
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. object — a thing
  24. press — newspapers

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