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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: lie · press · dip · toast · wax · suit · season · band

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wax — to grow
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. press — to push
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. suit — clothes
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. dip — to sink
  14. press — newspapers
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. lie — to recline
  20. band — a music group
  21. press — a publisher
  22. toast — bread
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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