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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rest — a break
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. cue — a signal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cue — a hint
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. press — to push

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