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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 116 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: suit · snap · present · hide · fine · stick · wax · rush

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. snap — to click
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. suit — in cards
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fine — all right
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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