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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bound — certain
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. track — a song
  9. bound — obliged
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bark — to shout
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bass — low music
  16. staff — employees
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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