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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bass — the fish
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mark — a trace
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. press — a publisher
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. press — to push

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