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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
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: rash · wax · hide · game · press · firm · safe · fork

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. game — wild animals
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. press — to push
  6. rash — a series
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. game — a match
  10. firm — a company
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. firm — steady
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. firm — decided
  20. rash — hasty
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — newspapers

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