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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. can — a tin
  3. band — a ring
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. press — to push
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. press — newspapers
  13. band — a music group
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. can — to be able to
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. press — a publisher
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. can — a tin

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