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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bore — to tire
  6. roll — a cake
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bass — low music
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mark — a trace
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. roll — a list
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — a division

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