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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hand — in cards
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mine — for digging
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kid — child
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mug — to rob
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bear — the animal
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mug — a face
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ball — a dance
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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