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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. season — of the year
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wax — to grow
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. staff — employees
  18. season — in sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. staff — employees
  21. press — newspapers
  22. tube — a container
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bank — for money

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