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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bat — the animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. row — a line
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bass — low music
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. press — to push
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. press — newspapers

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