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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. snap — to click
  3. land — a country
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pass — a permit
  12. land — to come down
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. land — ground

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