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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. mug — a face
  3. press — a publisher
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mug — to rob
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wax — to grow
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. press — newspapers
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lie — to recline
  15. hand — help
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fine — all right
  18. mug — a cup
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. key — for a lock
  21. press — to push
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. key — in music
  24. foot — a measure

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