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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. board — a committee
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mark — a grade
  5. face — to confront
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. board — to get on
  9. mark — a trace
  10. tube — a container
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. press — to push
  14. branch — a division
  15. swing — in golf
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. swing — music
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. swing — to play on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — part of the head

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