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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: fall · rule · press · perch · firm · wax · can · mouse

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fall — the season
  3. perch — the fish
  4. firm — a company
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — government
  7. fall — to drop
  8. press — newspapers
  9. can — a tin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. can — a tin
  13. press — to push
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fall — to drop
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mouse — the animal

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