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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the fish
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rule — government
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. staff — employees
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bass — low music
  24. rule — a law

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