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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. drill — army training
  6. press — to push
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. drill — a practice
  12. wax — to grow
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. board — a committee
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. squash — the sport
  20. board — to get on
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. snap — to click
  23. squash — to crush
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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