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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. press — to push
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cell — a phone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. press — newspapers
  9. scale — size or range
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. net — after costs
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bulb — of a plant

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