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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. season — of the year
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. season — in sport
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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