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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 · lean · wax · plane · rush · bass · wave · bank

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bank — for money
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bank — of a river
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rush — hurry
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bass — low music
  16. lean — thin
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wax — to grow
  20. press — to push
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bass — the fish
  24. wave — with your hand

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