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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: ball · pass · tear · staff · wake · ruler · safe · hide

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. tear — from crying
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pass — a permit
  8. staff — employees
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. staff — a stick
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wake — a trail
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. staff — employees
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. tear — to rip
  24. ball — a round shape

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