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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — a box
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. chest — of your body
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. saw — the tool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pit — in a race

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