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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 116 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 · board · mug · press · tear · trunk · can · bore

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. wax — to grow
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mug — a cup
  9. board — to get on
  10. mug — to rob
  11. tear — to rip
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mug — a face
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bore — to drill
  16. press — newspapers
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. tear — from crying
  22. board — a committee
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wax — in the ear

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