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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.

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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: mouse · wind · hide · pass · suit · stick · rule · fall

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. fall — the season
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wind — moving air

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