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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: pass · clip · wave · bulb · suit · fan · mark · fall

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bulb — for light
  6. clip — to cut
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fall — the season
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. clip — for paper
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. clip — a video
  24. wave — of the sea

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