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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: bay · dip · racket · hide · wax · press · mug · chair

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chair — a leader
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. press — to push
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. press — a publisher
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mug — to rob
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. press — newspapers
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mug — a face

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