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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. can — to be able to
  3. tube — a container
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wax — to grow
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pitch — completely
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. can — a tin
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. deal — to handle
  23. tube — the underground
  24. wave — of the sea

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