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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: wax · press · lie · band · wound · safe · bank · racket

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wax — to grow
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lie — to recline
  7. band — a ring
  8. bank — of a river
  9. band — a music group
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bank — for money
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bank — for money
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. racket — for tennis

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