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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — help
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. can — a tin
  11. fall — the season
  12. wake — a trail
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pass — a permit
  17. can — to be able to
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fall — to drop
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. can — a tin

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