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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wind — moving air
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pass — a permit
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wind — moving air
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bark — to shout
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. ruler — a monarch

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