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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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — to grow
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. fine — high quality
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — to shout
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fine — all right
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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