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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · key · pitcher · object · press · wound · staff · season

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. staff — a stick
  3. press — to push
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. object — an aim
  6. key — the most important part
  7. object — a thing
  8. staff — employees
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. key — for a lock
  11. object — to protest
  12. wax — to grow
  13. season — of the year
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. key — in music
  22. staff — employees
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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