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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rock — music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rash — a series
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. suit — to fit
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. press — to push
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rock — to move gently

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