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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. press — newspapers
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. drill — army training
  11. press — to push
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wax — to grow
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. press — a publisher
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — ground
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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