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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: wake · bank · rush · press · wax · suit · hide · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. press — to push
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. press — a publisher
  13. suit — clothes
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wake — a trail

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