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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: lean · club · row · rest · ruler · pass · pitcher · dip

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. club — for golf
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. dip — to sink
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rest — a break
  16. row — a line
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rest — what's left

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