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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. fall — the season
  5. rock — music
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fall — to drop
  9. press — to push
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wake — a trail
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. staff — employees
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fall — to drop

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