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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: swing · rest · press · dip · fine · shower · craft · wax

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. fine — high quality
  4. swing — in golf
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. dip — to sink
  8. swing — music
  9. fine — all right
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. swing — to play on
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rest — a break
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. press — to push
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. shower — rain
  21. rest — what's left
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rest — what's left
  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