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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. tube — a container
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wax — to grow
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. march — the month
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. roll — a cake
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tube — the underground
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. foot — a measure
  21. roll — a list
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. march — music

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