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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.

Make a worksheet

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: capital · press · wax · rule · bound · arm · bowl · mine

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wax — to grow
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bound — obliged
  13. press — to push
  14. rule — a law
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rule — government
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — certain
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — money

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