ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

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: rash · press · wax · suit · fall · season · snap · coach

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. press — to push
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rash — hasty
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fall — to drop
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rash — a series
  16. wax — to grow
  17. suit — clothes
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. season — of the year
  20. fall — the season
  21. press — newspapers
  22. season — in sport
  23. snap — to click
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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