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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pass — a permit
  3. track — a path
  4. ground — crushed
  5. cold — not warm
  6. cold — an illness
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — thin
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mark — a trace
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ground — a position
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mark — a grade
  22. track — a song
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. ruler — for measuring

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