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

Word bank: bay · ruler · last · straw · face · pass · net · suit

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. net — in sport
  7. face — to confront
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pass — a permit
  14. last — finally
  15. last — to go on
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. net — after costs
  18. last — final
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. net — for catching
  23. suit — in cards
  24. face — to point toward

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