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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. cold — not warm
  5. pass — a permit
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. can — a tin
  9. wake — a trail
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cold — an illness
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. straw — a straw man

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