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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.

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: wax · mouse · press · temple · bound · club · face · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. club — for dancing
  3. press — a publisher
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wax — to grow
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. club — for golf
  10. bound — tied together
  11. face — to confront
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — to push
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — a group
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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