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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.

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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: spell · chest · saw · mouse · press · suit · wax · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. suit — to fit
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. press — newspapers
  5. spell — magic
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chest — a box
  10. suit — in cards
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. chest — of your body
  15. press — a publisher
  16. suit — clothes
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wax — to grow
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. press — to push
  24. wax — in the ear

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