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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 go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. sharp — clever
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. object — a thing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. object — to protest
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. object — an aim

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