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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
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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: wax · perch · nail · court · spring · fork · press · last

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wax — to grow
  4. court — of law
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. court — for sport
  13. press — to push
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. press — a publisher
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. court — of a king
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. perch — the fish
  24. last — finally

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