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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. roll — a list
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wake — a trail
  13. stand — to bear
  14. suit — in cards
  15. game — a match
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. suit — clothes
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. game — wild animals
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ruler — for measuring

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