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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pass — a permit
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. roll — a list
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. swing — music
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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