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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: hide · pass · mate · bat · court · spell · dip · ruler

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mate — a partner
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. spell — magic
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. mate — to breed
  12. court — for sport
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — of law
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. spell — letters
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bat — the animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mate — a friend
  24. spell — a short time

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