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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rash — a series
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mug — a face

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