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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. fine — high quality
  3. current — happening now
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — to bear
  7. press — newspapers
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. wax — to grow
  10. press — a publisher
  11. kid — to tease
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. press — to push
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. current — electric
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kid — child
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. current — of water
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wax — for sculpting

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