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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · arm · swing · march · date · pass · press · mug

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. march — music
  5. mug — a cup
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. swing — music
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. march — the month
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. press — to push
  22. swing — in golf
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mug — a face

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