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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 · trunk · mug · bowl · dip · net · lie · wax

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. dip — to sink
  5. press — to push
  6. net — after costs
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mug — a face
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mug — a cup
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. net — for catching
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mug — to rob
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. net — in sport
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. lie — to recline

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