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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 · ball · wax · present · stick · bear · suit · fork

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. 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. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fork — in a road
  10. press — to push
  11. present — the time now
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. present — a gift
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. suit — clothes
  16. present — there
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. press — newspapers
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wax — to grow
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. 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