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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 116 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: pass · straw · march · fine · pitch · stick · rush · rest

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. march — the month
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fine — all right
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. march — the month
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. march — music
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitch — completely

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