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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. shower — rain
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. snap — to click
  7. rule — government
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. shower — to wash
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. rule — a law
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. kick — in football
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. board — to get on
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bound — tied together
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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