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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — the season
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wax — to grow
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. track — a song
  11. spring — of water
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. track — a path
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rush — hurry
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. track — to keep track
  21. press — to push
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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