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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 116 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: press · tear · key · bound · rush · mate · wax · coach

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. mate — a partner
  5. key — the most important part
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bound — certain
  9. tear — to rip
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. press — newspapers
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mate — to breed
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bound — obliged
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. press — to push
  23. tear — from crying
  24. wax — in the ear

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