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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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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: firm · saw · pass · fall · stick · ruler · row · mouse

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — decided
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fall — the season
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. firm — steady
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. firm — a company
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pass — a permit

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