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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pass — a permit
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. charge — in control
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. charge — a price
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. row — a line
  15. season — of the year
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — a song
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. season — in sport
  20. row — to paddle
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. charge — electricity
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. trunk — of a car

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