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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: press · wave · pit · wax · stick · racket

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — newspapers
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pit — a hole
  12. press — to push
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. press — a publisher
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pit — in a race
  18. wax — to grow

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