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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: rock · chair · bay · wax · ruler · press · wave · game

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wax — to grow
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rock — music
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — newspapers
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rock — to move gently

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