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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 116 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: current · wax · spring · rush · press · pass · mark · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. current — of water
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pass — a permit
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. current — happening now
  7. spring — of water
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mark — a grade
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. press — a publisher
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. current — electric
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wax — to grow
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. spring — the season
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wax — for sculpting

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