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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: spell · hide · stand · cap · press · club · wax · safe

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. spell — letters
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. club — for dancing
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. press — newspapers
  16. club — for golf
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. spell — magic
  24. club — a group

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