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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mate — to breed
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. dip — to sink
  8. chair — a leader
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. suit — in cards
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pass — to succeed

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