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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. tube — a container
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. suit — in cards
  13. last — final
  14. prune — to trim
  15. last — to go on
  16. suit — to fit
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. press — newspapers
  20. last — finally
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. suit — clothes
  23. press — a publisher
  24. tube — the underground

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