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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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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: chest · perch · club · press · wax · temple · stick · bay

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. chest — of your body
  5. wax — to grow
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. chest — a box
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. press — newspapers
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. club — a group
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. chest — of your body
  19. club — for golf
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. club — for dancing
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — side of the head

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