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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cue — for pool
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cue — a signal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. press — to push
  10. cue — a hint
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. press — newspapers
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cap — a hat
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wax — to grow

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