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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · ruler · sharp · mate · spell · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. spell — letters
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — a friend
  7. spell — magic
  8. mate — to breed
  9. snap — to click
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. spell — a short time

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