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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: stand · ground · wax · staff · swing · mouse · press · saw

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. press — newspapers
  5. staff — employees
  6. saw — the tool
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wax — to grow
  12. staff — employees
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. swing — in golf
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. press — to push
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. swing — music

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