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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. wax — to grow
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. cue — for pool
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. date — the fruit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. snap — to click
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. content — happy
  23. cue — a signal
  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