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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: jam · ruler · pass · cap · mate · saw · clip · pitcher

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. clip — to cut
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mate — a partner
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — a video
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cap — a lid
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mate — a friend

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