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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. field — a subject
  4. can — a tin
  5. field — farmland
  6. content — the amount
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wax — to grow
  11. season — of the year
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — in sport
  15. firm — decided
  16. field — for sport
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. can — to be able to
  19. press — to push
  20. content — happy
  21. firm — steady
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. firm — a company
  24. wax — for sculpting

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