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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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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: fan · wax · pass · mark · stand · swing · suit · sharp

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. swing — in golf
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mark — a grade
  13. swing — music
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. swing — to play on
  17. suit — to fit
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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