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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. land — ground
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. present — the time now
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. land — a country
  11. saw — the tool
  12. present — a gift
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. land — to come down
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. present — there
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. press — to push
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. wax — to grow
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. press — a publisher

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