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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: suit · straw · perch · ruler · stick · pass · cue · can

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. pass — a permit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. suit — clothes
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. can — a tin
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cue — for pool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  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