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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 124 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. land — a country
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. press — newspapers
  5. land — ground
  6. charge — in control
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wax — to grow
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. press — to push
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stand — to bear
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. charge — electricity
  22. land — to come down
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. charge — a price

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