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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 120 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: object · bound · degree · wax · mouse · press · chair · rest

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bound — certain
  9. degree — from a university
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. press — a publisher
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. press — to push
  21. rest — a break
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chair — a leader
  24. object — to protest

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