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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pit — in a race
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. court — for sport
  5. mate — a friend
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. court — of a king
  10. press — to push
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. court — of law
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mate — to breed
  23. toast — bread
  24. cap — of ice

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