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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. press — to push
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bear — the animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. key — in music
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wax — to grow
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. press — newspapers
  24. can — a tin

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