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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mate — a partner
  5. press — to push
  6. mate — a friend
  7. spell — magic
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wax — to grow
  12. spell — a short time
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. press — newspapers
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — to breed
  24. spell — letters

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