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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stock — shares
  6. press — to push
  7. mug — a cup
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stock — goods
  10. lean — to bend
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mug — a face
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. press — a publisher
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mug — to rob
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. kick — in football
  23. lean — thin
  24. mine — for digging

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