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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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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: bore · ruler · straw · can · pass · track · roll · squash

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. roll — a cake
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. roll — a list
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bore — to tire
  9. squash — the sport
  10. track — a song
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. squash — to crush
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. can — a tin
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bore — to drill
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. can — a tin
  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