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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 120 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
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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: pitcher · face · wax · stem · press · stand · prune · ruler

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. press — to push
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — newspapers
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stand — to bear
  17. face — to confront
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. face — part of the head
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pitcher — a jug

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