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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: press · pass · rush · fall · sharp · degree · wax · plane

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. press — a publisher
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fall — to drop
  8. sharp — clever
  9. wax — to grow
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. degree — an amount
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rush — hurry
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. fall — the season
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fall — to drop
  24. degree — from a university

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