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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 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.

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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
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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: wax · pass · press · lean · prune · track · tear · staff

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. staff — employees
  5. wax — to grow
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. tear — from crying
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pass — a permit
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. staff — a stick
  17. tear — to rip
  18. track — a path
  19. staff — employees
  20. track — a song
  21. press — to push
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. prune — to trim

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