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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lean — to bend
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. lean — thin
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — in music
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rash — a series
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rock — music
  20. pass — a permit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. fall — the season

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