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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: press · firm · racket · rule · drill · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. firm — steady
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. drill — the tool
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. drill — army training
  12. firm — a company
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. firm — decided
  15. press — to push
  16. drill — a practice
  17. press — a publisher
  18. racket — a loud noise

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