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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cue — a signal
  4. last — to go on
  5. firm — steady
  6. saw — the tool
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. charge — electricity
  9. saw — the tool
  10. charge — in control
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. firm — decided
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. last — final
  16. charge — a price
  17. cue — for pool
  18. firm — a company
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. press — to push
  22. last — finally
  23. wax — to grow
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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