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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 124 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 · temple · tube · mark · wax · swing · vault · cap

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. press — newspapers
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cap — of ice
  6. swing — music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. cap — a lid
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. swing — in golf
  13. tube — a container
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. press — a publisher
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. press — to push
  19. cap — a hat
  20. vault — a safe
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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