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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. object — to protest
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. wax — to grow
  7. press — to push
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. drill — army training
  10. object — a thing
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. drill — the tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. object — an aim
  21. press — a publisher
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. drill — a practice

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