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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. shower — to wash
  5. suit — to fit
  6. press — a publisher
  7. stock — goods
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. current — of water
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stock — shares
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. shower — rain
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. current — electric
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. current — happening now
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stock — a soup base

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