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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. kick — in football
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. press — newspapers
  6. chip — to eat
  7. press — a publisher
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. press — to push
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. file — a tool
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. file — a document
  24. chip — for betting

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