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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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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: safe · wax · bore · pitch · press · mouse · bat · net

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. net — after costs
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. press — to push
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bat — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. net — for catching
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. press — a publisher
  21. net — in sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wax — to grow

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