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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 116 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: present · wax · press · net · wind · scale · rock · bay

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. press — to push
  8. scale — size or range
  9. net — in sport
  10. present — the time now
  11. net — for catching
  12. present — there
  13. rock — a stone
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rock — music
  16. press — a publisher
  17. present — a gift
  18. wind — moving air
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. net — after costs
  24. rock — to move gently

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