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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pop — soda
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. pop — to visit
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pop — music
  14. press — a publisher
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. press — newspapers
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. shower — rain
  21. press — to push
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lean — thin

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