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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. spell — letters
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. press — a publisher
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. press — to push
  12. wax — to grow
  13. spell — a short time
  14. season — in sport
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. spell — magic
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bat — the animal
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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