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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.

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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: fork · leaves · wax · nail · press · chair · spell · bay

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. wax — to grow
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. press — to push
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chair — a leader
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fork — in a road
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. fork — a garden tool

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