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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. press — to push
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pop — soda
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pop — music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pop — to visit
  24. press — a publisher

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