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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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 — to push
  2. race — a contest
  3. wax — to grow
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. race — the arms race
  7. shower — rain
  8. stand — to bear
  9. ground — crushed
  10. charge — electricity
  11. press — a publisher
  12. lie — to recline
  13. charge — in control
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. charge — a price
  17. shower — to wash
  18. race — humankind
  19. ground — a position
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. press — newspapers
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — for spectators
  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