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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. leaves — lets stay
  4. press — to push
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. vault — a safe
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mark — a trace

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