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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: hide · cold · stick · safe · wax · pop · suit · pass

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cold — not warm
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pop — soda
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pass — a permit
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pop — music
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — to grow
  21. cold — an illness
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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