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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 120 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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. press — to push
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rule — a law
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. track — a song
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. track — a path

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