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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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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fall — to drop
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. snap — to click
  17. court — of a king
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. lash — to lash out

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