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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. press — newspapers
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — for golf
  5. swing — music
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. club — a group
  8. swing — to play on
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. press — to push
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bark — to shout
  17. swing — in golf
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. snap — to click
  20. mark — a grade
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mug — a face
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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