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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. march — the month
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fork — in a road
  9. wax — to grow
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. press — to push
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rush — hurry
  15. march — music
  16. club — a group
  17. march — the month
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. club — for golf
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. suit — to fit
  24. press — newspapers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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