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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mate — to breed
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cue — a hint
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bass — low music
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a document
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. scale — in music
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. file — a line of people
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cue — for pool
  24. scale — size or range

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