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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. root — the cause
  4. last — finally
  5. bat — the animal
  6. game — a match
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. last — to go on
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bank — for money
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. last — final
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bank — for money
  18. root — of a word
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bank — of a river

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