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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — to protest
  4. drill — army training
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. drill — the tool
  9. object — an aim
  10. press — to push
  11. saw — the tool
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — a contest
  17. wax — to grow
  18. race — the arms race
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — a thing
  24. drill — a practice

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