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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. mug — to rob
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mug — a cup
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. suit — in cards
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. press — a publisher
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. capital — a city
  13. press — to push
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. spell — letters
  16. toast — bread
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mug — a face
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. suit — to fit
  22. capital — money
  23. press — newspapers
  24. wax — in the ear

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