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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rule — government
  4. press — to push
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rule — a law
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. staff — employees
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rush — hurry
  14. track — a song
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. track — a path
  17. staff — employees
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. press — a publisher

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