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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 120 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. foot — a measure
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pop — soda
  8. press — to push
  9. wax — to grow
  10. file — a tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. cell — in biology
  15. mug — to rob
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a document
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. cell — a phone
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wax — in the ear

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