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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. press — newspapers
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. press — to push
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. press — a publisher
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cold — not warm
  15. court — for sport
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bank — for money
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cold — an illness
  24. foot — a measure

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