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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.

Make a worksheet

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: sharp · ruler · dip · march · wax · press · pitcher · wind

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. march — music
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wind — moving air
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. press — newspapers
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. press — a publisher
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — to grow
  14. press — to push
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. dip — to sink
  17. march — the month
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wind — moving air
  24. sharp — with an edge

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