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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 116 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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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 spend time
  2. court — for sport
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. court — of law
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rock — music
  12. row — to paddle
  13. rock — a stone
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rash — hasty
  16. row — a line
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. court — of a king
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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