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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. track — to keep track
  3. swing — music
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. press — newspapers
  6. swing — in golf
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wax — to grow
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bore — to tire
  16. track — a path
  17. face — to confront
  18. swing — to play on
  19. press — to push
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. track — a song

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