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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. club — a group
  4. hand — help
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. club — for golf
  10. cap — of ice
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. leaves — lets stay

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