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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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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 · lean · stock · wave · fall · drill · can · suit

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lean — to bend
  3. stock — shares
  4. fall — to drop
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. can — a tin
  8. stock — goods
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fall — the season
  15. press — a publisher
  16. drill — army training
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. press — to push
  23. can — a tin
  24. suit — clothes

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