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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · stem · rash · mug · straw · cue · lie · nail

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mug — a face
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rash — a series
  11. lie — to recline
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cue — for pool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cue — a hint
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. lie — an untruth

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