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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mug — a face
  3. net — in sport
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tear — from crying
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. net — after costs
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. land — ground
  10. mug — a cup
  11. tear — from crying
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mug — to rob
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pass — a permit
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. net — for catching
  18. land — a country
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tear — to rip
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. land — to come down

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