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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 116 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — a publisher
  3. shower — to wash
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mug — a cup
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. firm — a company
  14. mug — a face
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mug — to rob
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. press — newspapers
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. firm — decided
  23. shower — rain
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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