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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: nail · press · temple · present · pass · jam · cue · wax

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. press — to push
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. press — newspapers
  11. present — a gift
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pass — a permit
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a signal

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