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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.

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: tear · wax · roll · press · nail · craft · cap · mug

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. press — a publisher
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. tear — to rip
  6. press — to push
  7. cap — of ice
  8. craft — a skill
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. tear — from crying
  11. press — newspapers
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. roll — a list
  16. cap — a hat
  17. roll — a cake
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mug — a face
  22. cap — a lid
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mug — a cup

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