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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. present — a gift
  6. lean — thin
  7. cue — a signal
  8. content — the amount
  9. present — the time now
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. content — happy
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cue — for pool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. present — there

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