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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.

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: stick · pass · leaves · field · ground · wax · press · hand

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. ground — a position
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. field — for sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hand — in cards
  10. field — a subject
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ground — crushed
  14. hand — help
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. press — a publisher
  17. ground — the earth
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. field — farmland
  20. press — to push
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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