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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. press — a publisher
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — for money
  5. toast — bread
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bank — for money
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bank — of a river
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. branch — a division
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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