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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.

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: tube · press · bear · racket · spell · wax · chest · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. tube — a container
  5. press — newspapers
  6. spell — letters
  7. bear — the animal
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chest — of your body
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. press — a publisher
  13. spell — magic
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wax — to grow
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. tube — the underground
  20. press — to push
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. chest — a box
  23. spell — a short time
  24. chest — of your body

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