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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. spell — letters
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rest — a break
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pass — a permit
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. rest — what's left

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