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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 124 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. craft — boats
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. roll — a cake
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fall — the season
  20. roll — a list
  21. mine — for digging
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

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