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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: rash · present · saw · press · swing · track · wax · mark

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. press — newspapers
  2. rash — a series
  3. mark — a grade
  4. press — a publisher
  5. present — there
  6. wax — to grow
  7. swing — to play on
  8. track — a song
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. press — to push
  11. track — to keep track
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. present — a gift
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mark — a trace
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. present — the time now
  22. track — a path
  23. rash — hasty
  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