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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. band — a music group
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chair — a leader
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. rush — to hurry

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