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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: pass · ruler · fine · press · wax · tear · nail · bound

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bound — certain
  5. fine — all right
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tear — from crying
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tear — to rip
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pass — a permit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. press — newspapers
  20. fine — high quality
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bound — tied together

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