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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rush — hurry
  5. press — to push
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. track — a song
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wax — to grow
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. press — a publisher
  21. track — a path
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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