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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lean — thin
  5. pit — a hole
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. deal — to handle
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rock — music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. press — a publisher
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rock — a stone
  24. suit — to fit

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