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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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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: wax · face · degree · bear · ruler · press

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. degree — from a university
  11. press — to push
  12. face — to confront
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. degree — an amount
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. face — to point toward
  18. wax — for sculpting

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