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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wind — moving air
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pass — a permit
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fork — in a road
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — the animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wind — moving air

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