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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
468
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: saw · press · chip · track · wound · wax · tube · bay

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. wax — to grow
  2. wound — an injury
  3. press — newspapers
  4. tube — the underground
  5. press — to push
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wound — an injury
  10. track — a path
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. press — a publisher
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. track — a song
  21. tube — a container
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. chip — for betting
  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