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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rule — government
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rush — hurry
  12. track — to keep track
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rule — a law
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. track — a path
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. wax — to grow
  24. track — a song

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