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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. drill — army training
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bound — certain
  6. press — newspapers
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. press — a publisher
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bound — obliged
  12. press — to push
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. wax — to grow
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rock — a stone
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bound — tied together
  24. face — to confront

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