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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: wax · press · rash · fine · craft · hide · arm · cue

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wax — to grow
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — boats
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rash — a series
  20. cue — for pool
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fine — high quality
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. fine — all right

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