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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. press — a publisher
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wax — to grow
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. snap — to click
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. press — to push
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. plane — a tool
  15. board — a committee
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. board — to get on
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. press — newspapers
  22. vault — a safe
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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