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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: prune · spell · press · can · fall · track · wax · nail

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fall — to drop
  4. spell — magic
  5. prune — to trim
  6. track — to keep track
  7. can — a tin
  8. spell — a short time
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wax — to grow
  11. spell — letters
  12. track — a path
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. press — to push
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. press — a publisher
  20. prune — to trim
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. track — a song
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. can — a tin

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