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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pass — a permit
  5. file — a tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. scale — in music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cap — a hat
  13. file — a document
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. craft — boats
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cap — of ice
  18. prune — to trim
  19. file — a line of people
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cap — a lid
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pass — to succeed

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