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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rule — government
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lean — to bend
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. saw — the tool
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — thin
  24. fork — to eat with

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