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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — for digging
  5. last — to go on
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. hand — help
  12. last — finally
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rock — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. last — final
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. hand — in cards
  24. rush — a thrill

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