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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. press — newspapers
  5. saw — the tool
  6. court — for sport
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of a king
  10. wax — to grow
  11. lie — to recline
  12. object — to protest
  13. clip — to cut
  14. saw — the tool
  15. clip — a video
  16. press — to push
  17. roll — a list
  18. object — a thing
  19. court — of law
  20. press — a publisher
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. object — an aim

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