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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. press — to push
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. spell — magic
  9. stem — to come from
  10. spell — a short time
  11. press — newspapers
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spell — letters
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pit — in a race
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mouse — the animal

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