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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: press · wax · safe · wake · stock · net · mate · squash

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. net — for catching
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wake — a trail
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stock — goods
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. stock — shares
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mate — a partner
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mate — a friend
  20. press — a publisher
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mate — to breed
  24. safe — out of danger

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