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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. current — of water
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wax — to grow
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. current — electric
  11. chair — a leader
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bound — obliged
  18. press — to push
  19. bound — certain
  20. date — the fruit
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. current — happening now
  23. press — a publisher
  24. chair — a professorship

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