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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.

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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: rash · wax · track · bass · toast · march · press · rule

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rash — a series
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. track — a song
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. rule — a law
  12. rash — hasty
  13. march — the month
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. march — the month
  16. track — a path
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rule — government
  20. press — to push
  21. wax — to grow
  22. press — newspapers
  23. march — music
  24. toast — bread

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