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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fall — to drop
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wax — to grow
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fall — the season
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. press — to push
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. press — newspapers
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pass — a permit

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