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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 116 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mate — a friend
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rock — music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bass — the fish
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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