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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. charge — a price
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stock — shares
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lie — to recline
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. wax — to grow
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. stock — goods
  19. press — to push
  20. charge — in control
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. row — to paddle
  24. charge — electricity

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