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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 · hide · last · foot · net · rest · current · wax

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. last — finally
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — newspapers
  7. last — final
  8. net — for catching
  9. foot — a measure
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. last — to go on
  14. wax — to grow
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — to push
  17. net — in sport
  18. current — electric
  19. press — a publisher
  20. current — of water
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rest — a break
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. net — after costs

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