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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mug — a face
  5. drill — a practice
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — to push
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. chip — for betting
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rest — a break
  19. stem — to come from
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — army training
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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