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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: capital · pound · wax · wave · deal · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. capital — a city
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. capital — money
  14. press — to push
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. press — a publisher
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. deal — to handle

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